Walsall 2 Brentford 1 (MacDonald 17)

Brentford snatched defeat from the jaws of victory when they fell to a 2-1 defeat to Walsall at Banks’s Stadium on Saturday.

After dominating possession on a first half that saw Charlie MacDonald give them the lead, the Bees conceded an equaliser before half-time and looked a shadow of themselves during the second half before Walsall broke away for the all-important winner.

Bees boss Andy Scott was a disappointed man afterwards: “If you don’t stick to the script then, unfortunately, you get beat.

"At half-time, I felt we were comfortable and could have gone on and won the game, or at least get a point.

"But naivety has cost us and it is very disappointing.”

Scott made two changes, with Mark Phillips coming in at the heart of the defence in place of Tommy Smith, who moved to left back to cover for the injured Ryan Dickson.

With John Akinde missing up front, Ben Strevens returned to the forward line.

In the opening minutes the first chance of the afternoon fell to Walsall, when the Bees failed to clear a low cross and, from the edge of the box, Alex Nicholls fired in a low shot that Wojciech Szczesny turned round his left-hand post.

Brentford’s first real chance came after good work from MacDonald on the right set up Myles Weston, but he headed wide despite being unmarked on the penalty spot.

The Bees took the lead when a great cross from Phillips into the box was chested down by MacDonald and, with his second touch, he smashed the ball into the roof of the net.

Brentford were dominating possession, but the Saddlers equalised completely against the run of play with 10 minutes left to the break.

A long ball forward from the right touchline found Darren Byfield inside the box and, after Leon Legge slipped, Byfield had enough time to turn and pass to Nicholls, who calmly slotted home into the bottom left-hand corner.

Brentford had the last chance of the first half when Jamie Vincent bundled MacDonald over just outside the box and, from 20 yards, Saunders curled a free-kick over the wall, only to see Saddlers keeper Clayton Ince push the ball away to safety.

Walsall had the first real chance of the second half, Matt Richards crossing from the left and Byfield headed wide right when unchallenged at the back post.

Midway through the half the Bees had a great chance when Strevens stole ahead of his marker to get on the end of a short corner from Saunders on the right, but Ince comfortably held his shot.

With 10 minutes remaining, a long ball through the middle released Byfield, who got the better of Phillips, before the Bees defender recovered to make a magnificent tackle inside the box to dispossess Byfield.

Walsall grabbed the victory when a long ball from Richard Taundry released Nicholls into acres of space down the right and his cross into the six-yard box was headed past Szczesny from close range by Troy Deeney.

It was a disappointing defeat for the Bees, who had looked so comfortable during the first half and must now regroup for the trip to promotion-chasing Colchester United on Tuesday night.

Brentford: Szczesny; Foster, Phillips, Legge (sub Cort 88), Smith; Saunders (sub Ainsworth 82), Diagouraga, O’Connor, Weston; MacDonald, Strevens

Subs (not used): Price, Osborne, Wood, Hunt, Bean

Attendance: 3,616 (475 Bees)

Goals: MacDonald 17

Man of the match: Toumani Diagouraga

Match rating: 3/6