Walsall returned to action on Saturday afternoon as they welcomed Forest Green Rovers to Poundland Bescot Stadium for their latest game of the 2023/24 League Two campaign.Forest Green Rovers began the match brightly, with Jamie Robson crossing a dangerous ball in towards the back post in the fourth minute, but Troy Deeney was unable to direct his headed effort on target and the chance went begging.
The visiting team continued to press, with Harvey Bunker playing in Tyrese Omotoye in the sixth minute, but the midfielders effort was blocked.
Rovers were presented with another chance to shoot in the tenth minute, as Walsall captain, Donervon Daniels gave away the ball, allowing Fankaty Dabo to play in Kyle McAllister, but the midfielder was unable to find the target with his strike from the centre of the box.
The visitors continued to see much of the ball as things continued, but struggled to create further chances as Walsall began to grow into the game.
With twenty minutes played, the Saddlers created their first chance of the afternoon, as Liam Gordon and Ronan Maher combined to play in Freddie Draper, who was waiting at the near post, but the striker was unable to find the target with his headed effort.
Rovers were quick to work the ball back up to the other end, with former Saddler, Jacob Maddox playing in Bunker, who forced Walsall shot-stopper, Owen Evans down low to make the save.
The hosts were soon back on the attack, with Tom Knowles seeing an effort sail over the crossbar in the twenty-third minute.
There was a brief pause in proceedings in the twenty-fourth minute, after referee, Peter Wright, was knocked to the ground but the official was soon back on his feet and play resumed.
Walsall won the first corner of the match in the twenty-ninth minute, as Jordan Moore-Taylor turned the ball behind, and it was swiftly followed by a second as Omotoye put the ball out of play, but nothing would come of either flag-kick.
The Saddlers continued to enjoy a bright spell, with Isaac Hutchinson playing in Knowles in the thirty-fourth minute, but the number ten saw his strike blocked.
Unperturbed, the hosts continued to press, with the ball falling to Draper in the thirty-fifth minute, but the strikers effort was turned away by Rovers shot-stopper, and former Walsall scholar, James Belshaw. The ball then fell to Ryan Stirk, and the Saddlers felt they should have been awarded a penalty as it appeared his strike was deflected wide by the arm of a Forest Green player, but the officials were unmoved by their appeals and nothing was given, prompting Ronan Maher to become the first player to see yellow, as his remonstrations with the referee over the matter were penalised with a caution.
Things settled a little as the game continued, though Forest Green won their first corner of the afternoon in the forty-first minute, as Daniels turned the ball behind, but nothing would come of the flag-kick.
Two 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 the scores still tied.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and the action got back underway. Both sides enjoyed spells on the ball in the early goings, but it was Walsall who created the first chance of the second-half, as they won a corner six minutes in. Stirk crossed the ball in from the flag-kick, for Daniels, who did well to get to the ball but his headed effort goal-wards cleared the crossbar.
There was a brief halt to proceedings in the fifty-fourth minute, allowing Dominic Bernard to receive treatment for a knock, but he was soon back to his feet and play resumed.
Forest Green opted to make their first change of the afternoon, just two minutes later, as Kyle McAllister was replaced by Teddy Jenks.
Jenks was quick to get involved in the action, as he jumped on a mistake by Daniels and worked the ball to Omotoye, in the fifty-ninth minute, but the striker saw his effort on goal blocked by Oisin McEntee.
Walsall chose to make their first substitution of the afternoon in the sixty-second minute, with Ronan Maher making way for Jamille Matt.
The game settled into something of a midfield battle as it continued, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball without creating much to trouble their oppositions defences.
Twenty minutes from time, Forest Green made a second change to their line-up, as Jacob Maddox was replaced by Reece Welch.
Walsall followed suit shortly after, introducing their second substitute of the afternoon in the seventy-fourth minute, as Freddie Draper made way for Danny Johnson.
With seventy-seven minutes on the clock, Rovers chose to make a double change, with Charlie McCann and Tyrese Omotoye making way for Ryan Inniss and Sean Robertson.
Inniss quickly made his presence known, as Matt looked to play in Johnson ten minutes from time, with the recently introduced Rover making a goal-saving challenge to deny the Saddlers an opener.
The game settled after that, with little action of note from either side.
Two minutes from time, Walsall opted to make another change to their line-up, as Tom Knowles made way for Joe Foulkes.
Troy Deeney became the second player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul on Brandon Comley.
Seven additional minutes were added to end the match, and just one minute into those, both Oisin McEntee and Dominic Bernard also saw their names added to the referee's notebook as each was cautioned for dissent.
Walsall won a corner four minutes into those added, as Gordon played in Johnson, whose low effort drew a save from Belshaw, who did well to get down to meet the ball, but nothing would come of the flag-kick.
Reece Welch joined those already noted in the referee's notebook, seven minutes into those added, as he was cautioned following a foul on McEntee.
Walsall created one final chance to take all three points from the contest, as McEntee played in Hutchinson, but the number eight failed to find the target, and the match was brought to it's conclusion with the teams sharing the spoils.
| AT | POUNDLAND BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | PETER WRIGHT |