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Walsall Under-18s returned to action on Saturday morning as they took on Notts County in the EFL Youth Alliance Cup.After suffering a disappointing 6-1 defeat to Bolton Wanderers last weekend, the Saddlers looked to add to their recent Cup victory over the Trotters as they took on the Magpies.
WALSALL TEAM
Kilroy; Clarkson, Poskitt, Bennett, Cox, Straw, Wragg, Thomas, Uchenna, Juliff, Leydon
Substitutes: Simkiss; Etheridge, Roberts, Footes
The game was a hard-fought affair with both sides looking to make some progress in the early stages of the cup, however, it was the young Saddlers who ultimately grabbed the first goal of the game as Jaiy Leydon continued his fine spell of form as he hit home following Dan Clarkson's pass.
The visitors were handed a huge opportunity to level the scores shortly before the contest reached the hour mark as a desperate goal-mouth scramble saw an attacker felled and a penalty awarded.
Thankfully for Walsall, goalkeeper Jenson Kilroy stood firm to deny the visitors their opening goal of the game as he dove to his left and stopped the ball from crossing the line. A superb save.
Despite his superb save, Kilroy would go on to concede with around twenty-minutes of the second-half remaining as James Sanderson levelled the scores putting the game right back where it started.
Walsall had their own opportunity to score from the spot as they were awarded a penalty with fifteen minutes of the game remaining, however, Charlie Wragg was thwarted by County 'keeper Joshua Murtagh who saved well.
Unbowed by seeing his penalty saved, Wragg was soon back on the attack and made swift amends as, assisted by Leydon, he put the ball beyond Murtagh and into the back of the net, putting the Saddlers back into the lead.
There were no further goals as Walsall continued their unbeaten start to the Youth Alliance Cup.
FULL-TIME
| WALSALL | 2-1 | NOTTS COUNTY |
| LEYDON (29') WRAGG (81') |
SANDERSON (70') |
| AT | RAY HALL LANE |