Walsall were back in action on Saturday afternoon as they looked to make it three wins in as many games when they made their way to the County Ground and faced Michael Flynn's Swindon Town.Victories over Colchester United and Salford City had seen the Saddlers move to just a few placed outside the Play-Off places and to within just a few points of the promotion places, something which seemed almost impossible just a few weeks ago.
Following a minute long silence in memory of those who have lost their lifes during recent events in Libya and Morocco, Walsall got the match underway.
Swindon began the game brightly, and just two minutes in, opened the scoring as they worked the ball to Remeao Hutton, who crossed the ball onto the head of Charlie Austin, who nodded home.
The hosts continued to enjoy a good spell, seeing much of the ball and winning a free-kick in a dangerous position in the seventh minute, Taylor Allen fouled Jake Young, though nothing would come of the set-piece, fortunately for the Saddlers.
Things settled a little as the game continued, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball, without really troubling their opposition defences.
Walsall struggled to create much, but sixteen minutes in, Isaac Hutchinson managed to work the ball to Tom Knowles, in a promising move, but the strikers cross was tame and the Swindon defences cleared the danger.
Town thought they had doubled their advantage, in the twenty-first minute, as Young picked out Daniel Kemp with a through ball, but the number ten was caught in an offside position and his goal would not stand.
The hosts continued to press, with Kemp combining with Austin in the twenty-third minute, to create a chance for Young, but the striker failed to connect with the cross and the opportunity went begging.
Isaac Hutchinson became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned for dissent in the twenty-fifth minute.
Walsall began to enjoy a brighter spell as we past the half hour mark, with some patient build-up play culminating in a chance for Oisin McEntee, in the thirty-second minute, but his strike from outside the area was well saved by Town 'keeper, Murphy Mahoney, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
Saidou Khan became the second player to receive a yellow card, with his name added to the referee's notebook in the thirty-sixth minute, following a foul on Ross Tierney.
The resulting free-kick saw Tierney combine with Ryan Stirk to play the ball in behind the Swindon defences, but Freddie Draper was caught offside and the danger passed.
The visitors continued to press, with Liam Gordon picking up a loose ball in the thirty-ninth minute before driving forwards and firing an effort in on goal, but the defenders strike from distance sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.
Gordon continued to cause problems for the Swindon defences, beating his man to work the ball into the area in the forty-first minute, before picking out Draper at the near post with a low cross, but nothing would come of the move as the Town 'keeper got down well to palm the striker's effort clear.
One additional minute was 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 Swindon leading by one-goal-to-nil.
The teams returned unchanged following the break and Swindon got the action back underway. The hosts almost began the second-half as brightly as they had the first, with Kemp and Hutton combining to work the ball to the back post just four minutes after the restart, but neither Austin nor Young were able to get a telling touch on it to turn it home.
The hosts continued to enjoy a bright spell, with Tierney being dispossessed in the fifty-second minute, allowing Austin a shot on goal, but the Swindon captain sent his low effort narrowly wide of the upright.
Walsall were presented with a chance to level the scores as we reached the hour mark, as Priestley Farquharson drove forward before passing to Hutchinson, who fired goal-wards from distance, sending the ball disappointingly sailing over the crossbar.
The visitors opted to make their first change of the afternoon in the sixty-first minute, with Ryan Stirk making way for Danny Johnson.
Tom Knowles became the third player to see his name added to the referee's notebook, as sixty-two minutes into the contest, he was cautioned following a foul on George McEachran.
The home side won a corner in the sixty-fifth minute, which Kemp swung in for Frazer Blake-Tracy poked goal-wards, but Evans was well positioned and made the save.
Just four minutes after collecting a yellow card, Tom Knowles picked up a second for a foul on Blake-Tracy and was dismissed from the game, reducing Walsall to ten men for the remainder of the match.
Swindon opted to make their first change of the afternoon in the sixty-eighth minute, with Charlie Austin making way for Rushian Hepburn-Murphy.
Around twenty minutes from time, Walsall chose to introduce a second substitute, with Freddie Draper departing in favour of Douglas James-Taylor.
The hosts enjoyed some good pressure following the change, with Tariq Uwakwe playing in Kemp in the seventy-third minute, but the shot sailed high and wide of the target, moments before Hepburn-Murphy fired over.
Walsall opted to make their final changes of the afternoon ten minutes from time, with Ross Tierney and Oisin McEntee making way for Aramide Oteh and Joe Riley.
Swindon also took the opportunity to introduce some fresh legs, with Tariq Uwakwe making way for former Saddler, Tyrese Shade.
Town very nearly extended their lead in the eighty-fourth minute, as McEachran forced a save from Evans, before Shade fired narrowly wide of the near post from just outside the box.
The hosts had more luck in the eighty-eighth minute, as a loose back pass from Gordon allowed Hepburn-Murphy a shot on goal, with the striker firing past Evans to all but put the game to bed.
Six additional minutes were added to end the game, during which time, Khan won a corner for his side as Evans was forced to turn the ball behind. Nothing would come of the flag-kick, but the hosts continued to press, with Shade seeing a long-range effort saved moments later.
Both Remeao Hutton and Liam Gordon saw their names added to the referee's notebook, four minutes into those added, as they were cautioned following a clash between the pair.
That would be the final action of note, and the match was brought to its conclusion with Swindon winning by two-goals-to-nil.
| AUSTIN (2') HEPBURN-MURPHY (88') |
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| AT | COUNTY GROUND |
| REFEREE | MATT CORLETT |