Consistently linked with a move away from the City Ground this summer, Antonio showed just why he is so highly-rated by nearly rescuing the League Cup tie against Walsall which had seemed to be heading the way of the visitors.
The League One Saddlers raced into a two-goal lead with the only bright spot for the Reds being the Tyler Walker strike that halved the deficit just after the half-hour.
The young striker had been handed a start by Dougie Freedman with Henri Lansbury, Dexter Blackstock and Michail Antonio all beginning on the substitutes’ bench.
Antonio and Blackstock were sent on but Sawyers made it 3-1 to spark an exodus from the sparse crowd of 5,237.
Those who did go missed two home goals which looked destined to take the game into extra-time before Kelvin Wilson conceded a penalty which Tom Bradshaw converted to complete his hat-trick.