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Stoke too had their moments and it was they who began the night’s goal fest with a picture book goal . Rikhadur Dadasun guided his header into the path of the onrushing Graham Kavanagh who lashed home a stunning volley.
It was a mistake from Stoke keeper Ward that allowed Walsall back into the game when he failed to deal with Tom Bennett’s inswinging corner and somehow allowed the ball into the net.
The Saddlers began the second period with a flurry of goals. Two minutes after the break Matias beat the offside trap before sliding the ball home from an acute angle.
Three minutes later Ward was embarrassed again when Dean Keates free-kick from out on the left eluded everyone in the penalty area before nestling in the corner of the net.
Matias struck for a second time on the hour mark with a somewhat fortuitous effort when Wayne Thomas’ clearance hit him before rebounding into the net.
A shell shocked Stoke side did manage a second goal of their own courtesy of substitute Peter Thorne but it too little and too late to prevent Walsall from striding on to Cardiff.
The second semi-final was a heartbreaking affair for Wigan fans as their team were within four minutes of reaching the final when a late burst of goals from Reading denied them.
The game began with the Royals pushing forward urged on by the large home support. It was Wigan however who drew first blood when Kevin Nicholls drove home from twenty yards after being teed up by Scott Green.
From that moment on it was a backs to the wall effort by the Lancastrians as their well organised defence in which Arjan De Zeeuw was outstanding, struggled to keep the home forwards at bay.
Almost immediately after falling behind Butler had the chance to level the scores but he was denied by the diving Carroll. On the stroke of half-time McIntyre wasted a chance to equalise when he fired wide from twenty yards when well placed.
Wigan almost sealed the tie early in the second half but were denied by an outstanding save by Whitehead. Despite replacing Caskey with Harper Reading couldn’t find a way through the massed ranks of the Wigan defence.
Their best chance fell to Butler who fired over the bar from fifteen yards out after connecting with a Robinson cross.
Then with Wigan almost home and dry the tie was turned on its head. With four minutes left on the clock Martin Butler was the first to react when Carroll parried a Forster cross into his path and he made no mistake from six yards.
Normal time was almost up when Forster’s burst into the area was halted by an injudicious Sharpe tackle that led Mr Laws to point to the spot.
Cureton’s effort from the spot was saved by Carroll but Wigan’s luck had run out as the ball ran on to Forster and he gleefully turned the ball into the net for the winning goal.
