Buoyed by their duo of season-opening wins, Michael Flynn's Saddlers arrived at the match full of confidence and with a view to earning a place in the Second Round draw.Walsall began the game brightly, winning a corner in the fifth minute as an effort from Flynn Clarke was turned out of play by Cian Harries, but nothing would come of the flag-kick.
The teams soon settled into the game, and eleven minutes into the contest, Swindon created their first opening of the evening as Tomi Adeloye and Jonathan Williams combined to play in Tyrese Shade, but the former Saddler failed to beat Owen Evans in the Walsall goal, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
Swindon continued to see much of the ball as the game continued, and eighteen minutes in, they were again presented with an opportunity to open the scoring, as Ricky Aguiar worked the ball to Ronan Darcy, but the latter's effort from the edge of the area was blocked by a Walsall defender.
With twenty-five minutes on the clock, the Saddlers finally found themselves in shooting range again, as Tom Knowles played the ball through to Timmy Abraham, but the striker failed to trouble Town 'keeper, Lewis Ward, with an effort which trickled wide of the upright.
The game continued at a rather pedestrian pace, but thirty-two minutes in, the visiting side called Evans into action, as Aguiar worked the ball to Adeloye, with the midfielder looking to curl an effort into the top corner.
Moments later, Williams picked up the ball and cut inside before firing a low effort goal-wards, but Evans remained alert to the danger and gathered the ball well to deny the Swindon captain.
With forty-three minutes played, Walsall created perhaps their best chance of the evening to date, as Liam Bennett did well to beat his marker and cross the ball in for Douglas James-Taylor, but the striker was unable to guide his headed effort home from close range, and after three, uneventful, additional minutes were played, the first-half was brought to a close.
HALF-TIME SCORE
| WALSALL | 0-0 | SWINDON TOWN |
The teams returned unchanged after the break and play resumed. The Saddlers wasted little time in creating their first chance of the second-half, with Bennett crossing the ball in for Tom Knowles just three minutes after the re-start, but the striker was unable to find the target as he headed over.
There was a brief halt to proceedings in the forty-ninth minute, allowing Hayden White to receive treatment, but it was soon determined that he would be unable to play any further part, and Brandon Comley was introduced in his place.
The hosts were presented with a chance to open the scoring moments after the change was completed, as Jack Earing picked up the ball and fired goal-wards from twenty-five yards out, but the effort failed to concern Ward in the Swindon goal as it sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.
As we reached the hour mark, Walsall opted to make their second change of the evening, as Douglas James-Taylor made way for Danny Johnson.
Two minutes later, the visiting side opted to make their first substitution of the game, with Jonathan Williams making way for Anton Dworzak.
The Saddlers were a little unlucky not to open the scoring in the sixty-fourth minutes, as Knowles raced forwards with the ball and fired goal-wards from the edge of the area, with his effort sailing narrowly wide of the upright.
With sixty-nine minutes on the clock, Swindon chose to make their second change of the evening, as George Cowmeadow made way for Mohammad Dabre.
Walsall also took the opportunity to make a further change to their line-up, with Flynn Clarke departing in favour of Ronan Maher.
After a quiet spell, Swindon chose to introduce more fresh legs in the seventy-sixth minute, as Tomi Adeloye was replaced by Oscar Massey.
The Saddlers felt they should have been awarded a penalty shortly after that change was completed, as Harrison Minturn felled Maher inside the area, and although appeals were initially waved away by the referee, a spot-kick was eventually awarded, and the Swindon man turfed from the game, with a straight red card.
With ten minutes of the game remaining, Johnson stepped forth to take the spot-kick and duly converted to put his side ahead.
The one-goal lead was short lived however, as Johnson found himself back in possession in shooting range in the eighty-first minute, and unleashed a low effort on goal. Ward was on hand to deny the goal-scorer a second, but Abraham was first to the rebound and turned the ball home to double his sides advantage.
Eighty-five minutes in, Cian Harries became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned for a foul on Abraham.
The Saddlers continued to dominate as the game entered it's closing stages, with Isaac Hutchinson going close twice in the eighty-sixth minute.
Eight additional minutes were added to end the contest. Five minutes in, Ronan Darcy was shown the yellow card for a foul on Maher, but there was little further action of note, and the game was brought to it's conclusion with Walsall winning by two-goals-to-nil to progress in the competition.
FULL-TIME SCORE
| WALSALL | 2-0 | SWINDON TOWN |
| JOHNSON [p] (80') ABRAHAM (80') |
|
| AT | POUNDLAND BESCOT STADIUM |
| ATTENDANCE | 2,889 (448) |
| REFEREE | THOMAS PARSONS |