Bazeley keeps cool to steer Walsall past Reading in penalty shoot-out

Reading 1 Walsall 1 aet; score at 90min 1-1; Walsall win 4-1 on penalties

Walsall kept their nerve in a penalty shoot-out at the Madejski Stadium last night to earn the right to receive Wimbledon in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday week.

With the teams locked at 1-1 after extra time in their third-round replay, Martin Butler, a former Walsall player, missed with Reading's first attempt. After the third from James Harper had been saved by Jimmy Walker, Darren Bazeley secured Walsall's progress, making up for their Worthington Cup defeat at Blackburn last year when they, themselves, were knocked out on penalties.

The outcome was a blow for Reading's manager Alan Pardew, whose team will have an instant chance of revenge on Saturday when Walsall return in the First Division. He had demonstrated his sense of loyalty beforehand by agreeing to a pay cut – not withstanding possible bonuses – after finalising a new three-and-a-half year contract, but their supporters had not followed his example. The crowd of 8,767 was easily the Royals' lowest this season and the muted atmosphere was not greatly improved by Matt Carbon's over-hit back pass that almost gave the home side an early lead. With Walker desperately back-pedalling, the ball landed on top of his net.

The goal that put Walsall ahead after seven minutes was almost as bizarre. Reading's American goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann came flying out of his goal for Martyn O'Connor's deep cross and succeeded only in punching the ball out to Bazeley. With the goal empty, Darren Wrack had the simple task of heading in Bazeley's centre.

It could have got much worse for Reading before it got better. Zigor Aranalde sauntered through to shoot tamely wide and Leitao chipped just over before Nicky Forster tested Walker at the other end. The equaliser after 32 minutes was almost as curious as the goal Reading has conceded. Ricky Newman's free kick eluded everyone in the goalmouth but the unfortunate Aranalde. The ball bounced off the Spaniard into the net.

Reading could well have been ahead by the interval. Forster's control let him down when Butler crossed from the left, but he was less to blame for narrowly missing with a low angled drive.

Reading's pressure increased after the interval but referee Keith Hill probably made the right decision in refusing them a penalty following Danny Hay's tackle on the overlapping Graeme Murty. Walsall were lucky to survive again when Harper surged through only to pull his shot past the far upright but they grew stronger as the extra half-hour progressed. Hay, the ninth man to be booked, was just off-target with a header, as was David Zdrilic moments later.

Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Murty, Mackie, Brown, Shorey; Igoe, Harper, Newman (Hughes, 75), Tyson (Salako, 75); Butler, Forster. Substitutes not used: Viveash, Cureton, Henderson.

Walsall (3-4-3): Walker; Roper, Hay, Carbon; Bazeley, Sonner (Simpson, 40), O'Connor (Corica, h-t), Aranalde; Leitao, Junior (Zdrilic, 90), Wrack. Substitutes not used: Ward (gk), Matias.

Referee: K Hall (Cheshunt).