After finally returning to winning ways last weekend, Michael Flynn's Saddlers were looking to make it two in two as they made the trip to Blundell Park and took on Grimsby Town.Walsall started the game brightly, winning the first corner of the afternoon, just two minutes into the contest, as Andy Smith turned the ball out of play, but nothing would come of the flag-kick.
Grimsby had soon worked the ball up to the other end, where Luke Waterfall set up Niall Maher, but the defenders effort from the centre of the box was blocked, moments before George Lloyd saw a shot blocked.
The hosts continued to press, winning a corner, in the fourth minute, which was swung into the box by Danny Amos for Bryn Morris, whose headed effort from close range sailed wide of the post.
Town continued to look the more likely to score, with Lloyd playing in John McAtee in the sixth minute, but the Grimsby number ten was unable to keep his effort on target, sending the ball over the crossbar.
The game settled a little as it continued, but the hosts continued to see much of the ball, and eleven minutes in, were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position, as Oisin McEntee fouled Lloyd. The set-piece was played into the box for Maher, but the defender headed wide.
Seventeen minutes in, Walsall created their first real chance of the game, as Tom Knowles and Conor Wilkinson combined to work the ball into shooting range, before the latter dragged a shot across the face of goal.
Grimsby were quick to work the ball back up to the other end, where they won a corner as Joe Riley turned the ball out of play. Amos swung the ball in towards the edge of the area, where former Walsall loanee, Morris, was waiting to turn the ball into the bottom corner and put his side ahead.
Walsall were presented with an opportunity to restore parity in the twenty-fourth minute, as Wilkinson picked up the ball just inside the area and worked himself into space to shoot, but Town 'keeper, Max Crocombe was alert to the danger and blocked the ball, with the resulting corner coming to nothing, as Riley's ball in was easily dealt with by the Town defences.
The hosts had soon worked the ball back into the Walsall half, where McAtee took aim from twenty-five yards out, but his effort was easily saved by Saddlers shot-stopper, Owen Evans.
Grimsby were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position, in the thirty-fifth minute, as Donervon Daniels fouled Lloyd. McAtee stepped forth to take the set-piece, but his effort failed to beat the wall.
Thirty-eight minutes in, Oisin McEntee became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned for a foul on Ryan Taylor, with the resulting free-kick coming to nothing.
The hosts continued to press, with Lloyd seeing an effort from outside the area sail narrowly wide of the upright, in the forty-first minute.
Three additional minutes were added to end the first-half, but there was little further action of note, and the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with Grimsby leading by one-goal-to-nil.
Walsall made two changes as the teams returned, with Jacob Maddox and Brandon Comley sitting out the second-half, as Andy Williams and Hayden White took their places.
Niall Maher became the second player to see yellow, as, in the forty-ninth minute, he was cautioned for a foul on Liam Kinsella.
Nothing would come of the resulting free-kick, but the Saddlers went on to win a corner in the fiftieth minute, as Morris turned the ball behind. Riley's ball in eventually fell to Daniels on the edge of the area, with the captain firing home to level the scores.
Grimsby soon had the ball back up at the other end, as they looked to restore their earlier advantage, with McAtee seeing an effort blocked, before Waterfall saw a headed shot from the centre of the box saved by Evans. Unperturbed, they continued to press, but McAtee fired high and wide of the target.
As we reached the hour mark, Evans found himself under pressure, as Andy Smith attempted to head home, with the 'keeper able to get his fingertips to the ball to turn it over the crossbar, before the shot-stopper confronted Smith and all hell broke loose.
Both Owen Evans and Hayden White were eventually booked for their involvement in the incident, as the referee brought things back under control.
Grimsby went close moments after the action resumed, with McAtee firing narrowly wide from just outside the area, in the sixty-second minute.
Walsall had soon worked the ball up to the other end though, where Williams saw an effort blocked from close range in the sixty-fourth minute, before Daniels fired wide from close range moments later.
McAtee found himself back in shooting range himself in the sixty-fifth minute, as Amos crossed the ball into the area for him, but his effort had a little too much on it and the ball sailed over Evans crossbar, shortly before the number ten fired high and wide again, after some good play from Taylor to work the ball to him.
The hosts continued to enjoy a good spell, with Kieran Green playing in Amos in the sixty-ninth minute, but the midfielders effort on goal was blocked.
Andy Smith joined those already playing on a caution, in the seventy-third minute, as he was shown the yellow card for a foul on Knowles.
The game settled as it continued, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball without creating anything to further test their opposition defences.
Brynn Morris became the sixth player to be shown the yellow card, as, in the eighty-first minute, he was cautioned for a foul on Wilkinson.
The hosts set about looking for a late goal, and almost found one in the eighty-third minute, as Michee Efete rose highest to meet an Amos cross into the box, but the midfielders header sailed over the crossbar.
Kieran Green joined those already listed in the referee's notebook, five minutes from time, as he was shown the yellow card for a foul on Daniels.
Both sides then opted to make late changes to their line-ups, with Grimsby's George Lloyd making way for former Saddler, Otis Khan, whilst Walsall's Conor Wilkinson was replaced by Matty Stevens.
Daniel Amos became the fifth Town player to be cautioned, as eighty-eight minutes in, he was shown the yellow card for a challenge on White.
Five additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time, the Saddlers won a corner, which was swung into the area by Riley for McEntee, but the defender failed to find the target.
Donervon Daniels became the fourth Walsall man to see yellow, four minutes into those added, as he received a caution following a foul on Taylor.
Grimsby were presented with one final chance to take all three points, from the resulting free-kick, but Amos' ball in was headed wide by Green.
That would be the final action of note, and the match was brought to it's conclusion with the sides each taking one point from the contest.
| MORRIS (18') | DANIELS (50') |
| AT | BLUNDELL PARK |
| REFEREE | ROBERT LEWIS |