Walsall 3 - 2 Rotherham United

Walsall 3-2 Rotherham

Updated: May 9, 2004, 10:15 AM ET

Paul Ritchie responded to Paul Warne's last-minute penalty with a stoppage-time winner but, with Gillingham drawing at Stoke, the three-goal winning margin required to ensure their survival proved beyond Walsall.

The fact that they were condemned to relegation only by an inferior goal difference will be of little consolation to the Saddlers fans, who will point to two controversial penalties awarded against their side.

Walsall's woes were encapsulated by Simon Osborn. He scored the opener, conceded the penalty which allowed Rotherham to equalise and was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Despite overcoming Osborn's 62nd-minute dismissal to end their five-game losing run, the overriding feeling at the Bescot Stadium was of disappointment at a return to the Second Division after a three-year absence.

An afternoon of fluctuating fortunes sparked into life four minutes after the interval when Osborn put Walsall ahead from close range.

However, his joy at finding the back of the net for the first time since November lasted just six minutes, his foul on Scott Minto allowing Michael Proctor to equalise from the spot.

Osborn's contribution may have ended with his red card, but substitute Mark Wright struck within 60 seconds of his introduction as a 68th-minute substitute to restore Walsall's lead.

Another debatable decision handed Warne the chance to restore parity from the spot with barely 30 seconds of normal time remaining, and Ritchie's headed winner, in effect, proved irrelevant.

Though Rotherham manager Ronnie Moore insisted his side owed it to Gillingham to try their utmost at the Bescot, the early exchanges reflected Walsall's greater desire.

Jorge Leitao tested goalkeeper Mike Pollitt, who had to be alert to tip a Lee Bradbury drive over the crossbar shortly after.

Leitao tried his luck with a shot from distance, and the game was 20 minutes old before Rotherham registered their first attempt on goal, a powerful attempt by Proctor which was parried by James Walker.

The later stages of the half saw precious few noteworthy incidents, with Ritchie and Proctor trading wayward strikes.

The start of the second half followed much the same pattern as the first, with the exception of Walsall's improved finishing.

Darren Wrack, meeting Bradbury's cross, could not keep his header down, while Bradbury himself had a shot diverted over by Pollitt.

Osborn succeeded where his team-mates had failed in the 49th minute, although he could barely miss from virtually on the goalline following Bradbury's cut-back.

Caretaker player-manager Paul Merson stung Pollitt's palms seconds later, but Osborn's illegal check on Minto prompted referee Brian Curson to point to the spot in the 55th minute. Walker was comfortably beaten by Proctor's powerful penalty.

Osborn, booked for his protests to the decision, suffered further misery when he was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Andy Monkhouse.

Wright, a 68th-minute replacement for Bradbury, marked his introduction with a tap-in to restore Walsall's advantage.

Neil Emblen was penalised for what appeared a clean tackle on Shaun Barker late on, before Ritchie converted Merson's cross.