Following Saturday's npower League One encounter with Crewe Alexandra, columnist Calum Williams shares his Match Report;
The Saddlers went into this game at the Banks’s Stadium on the back of three league defeats in a row, two of those being at home, and were in need of a good result to get back to their winning ways of the previous month. Crewe Alexandra would have been in a similar mindset, despite improved results of late, they needed points on the board to climb back up the table.
The Saddlers went into this game at the Banks’s Stadium on the back of three league defeats in a row, two of those being at home, and were in need of a good result to get back to their winning ways of the previous month. Crewe Alexandra would have been in a similar mindset, despite improved results of late, they needed points on the board to climb back up the table.
Walsall started the game without top
goalscorer George Bowerman, who manager Dean Smith dropped due to him failing
to show the form of the previous month in which he won the young player of the
month award.
Walsall started the game brightly, with
three early corners, which Crewe defended well. The first real effort came from
Adam Chambers, the man who recently returned from injury, whose shot had power,
but not precision, missing to the left of the goal.
After the first 10 minutes, Crewe got their
first chance of the game, a free kick on the edge of the box saw Karl Darlow
forced into his first save of the game, tipping the ball over for a corner,
which Dean Holden cleared.
Walsall went on an immediate counter
attack, and their attacking intent paid off. Florent Cuvelier with some smart
work in the middle found Jamie Paterson, who took his opportunity well, slotting
the ball into the bottom right of the goal. A composed finish from the young
winger.
GOAL: Walsall 1 (Paterson 12') Crewe Alexandra 0
Following that, the Saddlers enjoyed the
majority of possession, not allowing Crewe anytime on the ball, and passing the
ball across the park confidently. Walsall were guilty of not converting
possession into goals in the game against Shrewsbury town last Sunday. But when
the ball fell to Will Grigg in the box on the 25th minute, his ball
in found Florent Cuvelier, who couldn’t really miss, scoring past stranded
keeper Alan Martin with ease, putting the Saddlers 2 goals to the good.
GOAL: Walsall 2 (Cuvelier 25') Crewe Alexandra 0
Crewe began to try and find a way back, a
header from a corner on the 35th minute went the wrong side of the
post, although keeper Darlow seemed to have the shot covered.
Walsall would have been happy to go into
the break with a two goal lead, but Crewe continued to create chances. And when
they won another set piece on the 44th minute, the Saddlers defence
were caught off-guard. A low, curled free kick from Luke Murphy appeared to
have evaded everyone, and nestled into the bottom left hand corner of the goal.
Whilst some thought it had gone in directly from the kick, others were claiming
it was an Andy Butler own goal. But it was defender Mark Ellis who was
eventually credited with a tap in.
GOAL: Walsall 2 Crewe Alexandra 1 (Ellis, 44)
A final attempt into the second minute of
stoppage time saw Adam Chambers come close for Walsall, but his shot flew
across the goal without troubling Martin in the Crew Alex goal. The Saddlers
would have to settle for just a one goal cushion, going into the second half.
HT: Walsall 2 Crewe Alexandra 1
Walsall started the second half reminiscent
of the first, with more positive, attacking play. Shots by Paterson and
Cuvelier failing to trouble the Crewe Alex goal. It was then the turn of Will
Grigg to try his luck, the front man who seemed much improved in this game,
burst through the Alex defence in the 52nd minute, but was unable to
chip it over the keeper, who spread himself well to make the save.
The Saddlers were almost culpable of
wasting chances, and conceding on the break. A fierce long range effort from 19
year old Brendan Daniels required Saddlers keeper Karl Darlow to make a smart
save, parrying the ball out of the danger zone.
After that attempt, it was a tale of few
chances. Crewe number 8 Luke Murphy firing high and wide, and Florent Cuvelier
who played another superb game, shot wide of the goal after breaking through
the Crewe Alex defence.
The last 20 minutes saw new faces for both
sides, Aneke and West coming on for Crewe, George Bowerman coming on for
Walsall in search of a third goal to secure the 3 points.
But
it was the Alex substitutes that made more of an impact. There was a huge shout
for a penalty when Walsall left back Andy Taylor made a clumsy tackle inside
the area, but referee David Webb, who had received stick of the fans throughout
the second half, waved away the appeals to the relief of the Saddlers players
and fans.
Crewe continued to push forwards in search
of an equalizer. Ben Purkiss came on to give the Saddlers a pair of fresh legs
at the back, whilst Febian Brandy was also brought on for the final 5 minutes.
But Walsall always seem to crack under pressure,
which Crewe seemed well aware of. And
when the ball was whipped in by Crewe’s Mathias Pogba into the second of four
minutes of stoppage time, there were familiar scenes in the Banks’s Stadium.
The ball in met the head of substitute Chuks Aneke, who capitalised on some
poor, weary defending, heading the ball past a helpless Karl Darlow and into
the net to the delight of the travelling fans.
GOAL: Walsall 2 Crewe Alexandra 2 (Aneke, 90+2)
There were certainly a lot of positives to
take from the game, Walsall dominating for the most part of the first half with
Flo Cuvelier and Will Grigg having good games. But the Saddlers often seem to
switch off in the final minutes, and find themselves hanging on. When there are
so many positives to take from games, Walsall fans will be wondering how their
team is still without a win in October. But with the effort and work rate shown
in recent weeks, surely points will come the way of the Saddlers sooner rather
than later?!
FT: Walsall 2 (Paterson 12', Cuvelier 26') Crewe Alexandra 2 (Ellis 44', Aneke
90'+2)
ATT: 3,836
MOTM: Florent Cuvelier
MOTM: Florent Cuvelier