A young Walsall XI made their way to the Trade Tyre Community Stadium on Wednesday evening as they took on Lichfield City in the Quarter Final of the Walsall Senior Cup.The match was a competitive affair with both sides keen to get the ball down and play, with a place in the Semi Final up for grabs.
The first goals of the game came within just around a minute of each of other as the Saddlers took the lead via Jaiy Leydon's a well-placed strike from distance, the shot coming after a Lichfield corner routine broke down leading to a counter-attack.
The home side didn't let their heads drop and went on to level the scores almost immediately as Joe Haines and Liam Kirton combined for the latter to put their side back on level terms with stopper George Barrett unable to retain his clean sheet.
Lichfield went into the lead early in the second half as, following a goal-line clearance from a Kirton effort, Haines was able to gather the ball before finding Jamie Elkes in space, with the defender crashing the ball over the line.
City's third goal came on the back of some hard work from Cameron Dunn, who retrieved the ball before finding Dom Lewis on the edge of the area, Lewis was only too happy to lash the ball home as his side closed in on a place in the next round.
The Saddlers were handed an opportunity to cut the deficit late in the second half referee Niall Smith pointed to the penalty spot, Charlie Wragg took the spot kick and put the ball beyond goalkeeper James Beeston and into the back of the net.
There were no further goals as the home side secured their place in the next round of the Walsall Senior Cup, a disappointing result but plenty of positives for a team that was made up of various levels of the Saddlers' academy system.
| KIRTON ELKES LEWIS |
LEYDON WRAGG (P) |
| AT | TRADE TYRE COMMUNITY STADIUM |
| REFEREE | NIALL SMITH |