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Reading continued to press forward and were denied at least a free-kick on the edge of the Walsall area when Sammy Igoe was pulled back by a defender when he was through on goal. It was a blatant professional foul but somehow neither the referee nor linesman saw it.
The Royals finally made their incessant pressure tell when Jamie Cureton pounced on a dropping ball in the box before firing a waist high volley at the diving Walker. The ball hit Walker on the body before rolling under him into the net for the opening goal.
Three minutes later Jim McIntyre had the chance to put Reading firmly in command of the game but, arriving late in the box, his powerful header hit the bar.
As Walsall began to work their way into the tie they produced a Zigor Aranalde shot that fizzed narrowly wide.
The best chance of the half for Walsall fell to Paul Hall but his shot was charged down by the Reading defence.
Walsall upped the tempo of their game at the start of the second period. Dean Keates saw his 25 yard free-kick pushed round the post by Phil Whitehead.
Walsall’s pressure was finally rewarded when Don Goodman met a cross with an acrobatic volley that flew beyond the clutches of Whitehead to level the scores.
Reading were still dangerous on the break however as Phil Parkinson showed when he powered a long range effort just wide of Walker’s goal.
Walsall too had their moments. Pedro Matias was given offside as he raced towards the Reading goal whilst Jorge Leitao made an opening for himself but delayed his shot and the danger was cleared.
For Reading Jamie Cureton twice worked himself into good positions but failed to deliver a telling cross.
Walsall were reduced to ten men for a short spell when Andy Tillson had to go to the changing room to have a head wound stitched.
Ten minutes from time Reading’s Phil Parkinson was booked for a reckless challenge and from the resulting free-kick Tom Bennett fired a shot straight at Whitehead.
With neither side wanting to make a mistake the remainder of the ninety minutes was played out without incident.
Reading begin the extra time period in the same way they began the match ie by taking the lead. Martin Butler beat two defenders to a cross and his delicate flick header sailed into the corner of the net.
The Royals looked to be in command until Ray Graydon gambled by sending on three substitutes at the same time. Almost immediately Walsall equalised for a second time.
When Byfield challenged for a loose ball in the Reading area, a defender lashed his clearance against the head of his prostrate team mate Rougier and the ball rebounded past a startled Whitehead for a bizarre own goal.
Within sixty seconds the Saddlers were in front for the first time. The ball was played through to Byfield who controlled the ball with his back to goal, executed a sweet turn and drilled a low shot into the corner of the Reading net.
A stunned Reading side poured forward in search of an equaliser and although Walsall were down to ten men for the final minutes after Barras had to leave the pitch with a nasty facial injury the Saddlers held out to secure promotion to Division One after a years absence.
