Walsall were back in action on Tuesday evening as they played host to Swindon Town at Poundland Bescot Stadium, with the Saddlers looking to return to winning ways.Walsall saw plenty of the ball during the opening minutes of the contest, though they were unable to create anything to trouble the Swindon Town defences, until they won a corner in the seventh minute, which eventually fell to Liam Kinsella, whose headed effort from the centre of the area sailed narrowly over the crossbar.
Swindon began to grow into the game as it continued, winning a corner at the other end, in the ninth minute, as Donervon Daniels turned the ball out play. Nothing would come of the flag-kick though and a second corner kick followed moments later as Joe Riley blocked a Ronan Darcy effort.
The Saddlers' defence failed to clear the ball following the second flag-kick, allowing Marcel Lavinier to fire an effort goal-wards, from just outside the area, but Walsall shot-stopper, Owen Evans got down well and gathered.
The game settled into something of a midfield battle as it continued, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball, without creating anything of note to test their opposition defences.
Walsall went close to taking the lead in the twenty-first minute, as Matt Stevens played the ball to Tom Knowles, who cut inside and fired a low effort goal-wards from outside the box, but Town 'keeper, Sol Brynn was alert to the danger and made the save.
The visitors had soon worked the ball up to the other end, where Jonny Williams fired an effort in from outside the area, but it was poor shot and the ball sailed high and wide of the target.
Moments later, Swindon saw another chance go begging, as Remeao Hutton picked up the ball inside his own half and raced towards Evans' goal, but the Walsall shot-stopper was well positioned to hold his effort.
The Saddlers won a corner in the twenty-eighth minute, as George McEachran turned the ball behind, but the flag-kick came to nothing as the visiting defences eventually cleared the danger.
The visiting side won a corner at the other end, as we reached the half-hour mark, with Kinsella putting the ball out of play, but after playing the ball short, Hutton looked to cross the ball into the area, with play then being stopped as a clash of heads left Manny Monthe requiring treatment. Fortunately, he was soon back on his feet and able to continue.
The hosts looked to have opened the scoring in the thirty-fifth minute, as they won a corner, which was swung in by Hutchinson and played on by Daniels, for Stevens who found the back of the net, but the linesman's flag was raised for an infringement of the offside rule, and the goal was chalked off.
Five minutes were added to end the first-half, during which time, Swindon saw a chance to take an advantage into the break go begging, as Jake Wakeling did well to bring down a Hutton cross, before turning and firing a tame effort wide.
The Saddlers also saw a similar chance missed moments later, as Hutchinson played in Monthe, but the defenders' low effort also trickled wide of the post. That would be the final action of note, and the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with the scores still tied.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and Swindon got the action back underway. Walsall began the second-half brightly, with Knowles winning the ball and playing in Stevens, whose effort on goal forced Brynn to make a save.
The Saddlers continued to enjoy a bright spell, winning a free-kick in a dangerous position, five minutes into the half, as Brewitt fouled Kinsella, but the chance came to nothing as Knowles long range effort sailed wide of the upright.
With fifty-three minutes on the clock, Jacob Maddox became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned for a foul on Williams.
Just two minutes later, Brandon Comley joined Maddox in the referee's notebook, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Lavinier, which left the defender requiring treatment, though he was soon back on his feet and able to continue.
Walsall opted to make their first changes of the evening in the fifty-seventh minute, as Joe Low and Matt Stevens were replaced by Liam Gordon and Conor Wilkinson.
The visitors won a corner in the fifty-ninth minute, as Riley turned the ball out of play, but nothing would come of the flag-kick, as McEachran's cross was headed over by Brewitt.
Walsall had soon worked the ball up to the other end, where the ball fell to Daniels inside the area, but the captains effort from the penalty spot sailed high over the crossbar.
The game settled a little as it continued, with both teams seeing plenty of the ball, whilst struggling to create anything of note.
Seventy-three minutes into the contest, Swindon opted to make their first substitutions of the evening, with Luke Jephcott, Tyrese Shade and Marcel Lavinier making way for Charlie Austin, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy and Harrison Minturn.
The Saddlers won a corner in the seventy-sixth minute, as Wakeling turned the ball out of play, but they were unable to make the chance tell as Knowles cross into the box was headed goal-wards by Daniels, with Brynn doing well to make the save to deny the Walsall captain.
Town chose to make a further change to their line-up in the seventy-eighth minute, as Jonathan Williams was replaced by Jake Cain.
The Saddlers also then opted to make another change, with Jacob Maddox making way for Douglas James-Taylor.
Swindon created a chance to open the scoring in the eighty-third minute, as some good build-up play saw the ball fall to Hepburn-Murphy, but his header goal-wards sailed narrowly wide of Evans' upright.
The visiting side continued to press, with Ronan Darcy firing a shot in moments later from outside the area, but the Walsall shot-stopper was alert to the danger and palmed the effort clear, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
Four minutes were added to end the match, but there was little further action of note until Wakeling worked the ball to Austin in the final seconds of the contest, but the strikers' effort on goal sailed inches wide, and the game was brought to it's conclusion with the scores unchanged from the opening whistle.
| AT | POUNDLAND BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | MARTIN WOODS |