On Saturday afternoon Walsall Football Club travelled to the Keepmoat Stadium to take on Doncaster Rovers in the latest Sky Bet League 1 clash of the season.
As the home side got the game underway, the match was fairly open with both sides looking to attack.
Recent Rovers' signing Ikpeazu had an early sight at goal, but was crowded out by the Saddlers defence as he looked to get a shot away.
3' GOAL DONCASTER ROVERS 0 WALSALL 1
It was Walsall who opened the scoring, Jordan Cook slipping his marker to head home from an Anthony Forde corner, with just three minutes gone.
Ashley Grimes sent an effort wide following a good low ball from Ben Purkiss. Then at the other end, Ikpeazu headed wide from a Forrester cross, real end to end stuff in the opening ten minutes.
Soon after, Jordan Cook became the first name in the referee's notebook, the winger stretching to foul Forrester who was in danger of breaking free.
The free kick was played in and met by former Saddler Andy Butler, as the two-time Player of the Season has a header saved by Richard O'Donnell.
The resulting corner was met by Dean Furman, his header cleared off the line by Ben Purkiss as Rovers piled on the pressure.
Forrester then tried a shot from distance, O'Donnell was again equal to the effort, a solid display from the 'keeper so far.
Later, Walsall won a corner but Stephen Bywater was equal to it as the Saddlers failed to make use of their flag-kick.
After 20 minutes, Anthony Forde had an effort tipped onto the bar, his corner was easily cleared as Rovers had to soak up some pressure of their own.
O'Connor cleared Keegan's cross as Curtis Main was moving into space, both sides creating chances in an entertaining first-half.
Dean Furman sent in a cross but Forrester couldn't get his head to the ball. Curtis Main won a corner as the Saddlers continued to be pushed back.
Stevens sent a shot wide as Walsall defended well against a couple of Rovers corners. Following a clearance Forrester then cut inside from the wing and had a shot, it was blocked by a well drilled Saddlers back-line.
Curtis Main caught Taylor in possession, then fed the ball to Forrester, who had his shot blocked by Ben Purkiss, the ball looping over the bar. The resulting corner was played short, with the ball being played in too deep.
Soon after Forrester fed Ikpeazu who was poor in possession, the Saddlers defence clearing easily.
Richie Wellens felled an advancing Ben Purkiss, anthony Forde's free kick was then blocked, Ashley Grimes' follow up was also blocked.
Both sides continued to have good spells on the ball. After 37 minutes, Forrester played Stevens through on the left, his tee up was then taken from the toes of Dean Furman who was waiting to pounce.
Richard O'Donnell remained solid, catching both a free kick and a corner with ease.
Back at the other end, Romaine Sawyers and Ashley Grimes got in each others way as Rovers clear a promising opening.
Just before the break, Romaine Sawyers was felled outside the area, Anthony Forde's free kick going wide of the target.
H/T DONCASTER ROVERS 0 WALSALL 1
The home side made two changes ahead of kick off, Main and Furman being replaced by Tyson and Bennett.
Richard O'Donnell saw some early second half action, he denied Ikpeazu twice as Rovers started the half strong.
Ikpeazu was again denied by O'Donnell soon after, his low effort tipped onto the post then cleared by Purkiss.
Forrester was next to go close, his effort inside the box, was heading for the top corner, but was saved by the in-form Walsall stopper.
Anthony Forde has an effort saved as Rovers clear and have an effort of their own saved.
Nathan Tyson broke clear and went down, referee Stuart not convinced it was a foul as Rovers protested.
Both sides won corners but were equally poor and cleared by the respective defences.
Butler found Tyson with a sweet pass, but the forward can't bring it under control as the defence cleared.
Anthony Forde sent the ball wide as Jordy Hiwula replaced Ashley Grimes.
Andy Taylor took one for the team, fouling Uche Ikpeazu as Rovers threatened to break. Wellens whipped the resulting free kick in but Walsall clear a McCombe header.
Paul Keegan was booked for a foul on Jordan Cook, the Saddlers' free kick was poor and rightly cleared.
70' GOAL DONCASTER ROVERS 0 WALSALL 2
Jordy Hiwula then opened his Saddlers' goal scoring account, he headed a Cook cross past Stephen Bywaters fingertips as the home side fell further behind.
Tyson had a cross cleared as Wellens' shot hit his own man, the home side unable to breach the Saddlers' back line.
Forrester and Ikpeazu had efforts saved as Robinson replaced Keegan, the home side looking to add numbers up front.
As Sawyers sought Hiwula with a through ball, Andy Butler saw yellow as the big man handled on the edge of the area, Hiwula forcing the error from the former Saddlers captain.
Forde sent a free kick curling wide of the far post, the former Wolves winger seemingly taking over free kick duties this afternoon.
Ikpeazu also has a curling effort go wide as the striker failed to get power behind the shot.
A defensive effort from McCombe allowed Hiwula in, but his shot was saved well by an onrushing Bywater.
Theo Robinson won a free kick out on the right flank, Forrester took the kick but the ball in was poor and easily cleared.
Andy Butler headed wide from a Stevens cross, no one in a home shirt around to finish the effort.
McCombe then cleared from a Cook cross as the clock ran down towards full time.
With two minutes remaining Romaine Sawyers was replaced by James Baxendale, Baxo making an appearance against a former side.
Baxendale was at the end of a good midfield pass from Michael Cain, Baxo's cross was sadly met by open space as Hiwula was briefly marked out of the match.
Michael Cain was replaced by Reece Flanagan as we entered injury time, Rovers were unable to make use of the final few minutes as the Saddlers defended well, forcing them into their own half.
The Saddlers managed well without top-scorer Tom Bradshaw, and weathered several attacking storms from the home side, Dean Smith will be encouraged by a solid defensive performance,especially with James Chambers absent through injury.
The Saddlers managed well without top-scorer Tom Bradshaw, and weathered several attacking storms from the home side, Dean Smith will be encouraged by a solid defensive performance,especially with James Chambers absent through injury.
F/T DONCASTER ROVERS 0 WALSALL 2
GOALS Cook 3', Hiwula 70'
AT The Keepmoat Stadium (Doncaster)
ATTENDANCE 6,089 (382 Walsall)
REFEREE Mr. Graham Scott (Oxfordshire)
ALSO IN THE NEWS: DONCASTER ROVERS 0 WALSALL 2 - STATS
DONCASTER ROVERS Bywater; Wabara, Stevens, McCombe, Butler , Wellens, Keegan (Robinson 77'), Furman (Bennett 45'), Main (Tyson 45'), Forrester, Ikpeazu
WALSALL O'Donnell; Purkiss, Downing, O'Connor, Taylor ; A.Chambers, Cain (Flanagan 90'); Cook , Sawyers (Baxendale 88'), Forde; Grimes (Hiwula 66')
SUBS NOT USED MacGillivray; Preston, Henry; Murphy
