Walsall were back in League Two action on Tuesday evening as they travelled to South Yorkshire where they took on the in-form Doncaster Rovers at the Eco-Power Stadium.Following a minute of applause in memory of Joe Kinnear, who had Doncaster among his list of former clubs, the match got underway.
Walsall began the game brightly, winning a corner just two minutes into the contest, as Taylor Allen played the ball over the top for Jamille Matt, whose powerful strike goal-wards was turned behind by Doncaster 'keeper, Thimothée Lo-Tutala. Allen curled the ball in from the flag-kick, finding the head of Emmanuel Adegboyega, whose headed effort struck the underside of the crossbar before falling to Matt, whose follow-up shot was cleared by the Rovers defences.
Things settled as the game continued, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball, whilst creating little to trouble their opposition defences.
Doncaster were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position in the eleventh minute, as Jamie Sterry was fouled by Ryan Stirk. Hakeeb Adelakun crossed the ball in from the set-piece, finding Luke Molyneux, who was unable to keep his effort on target, sending the ball wide with a strike from outside the box.
The hosts were presented with another chance to open the scoring in the eighteenth minute, as Molyneux crossed the ball in for Joe Ironside, but the striker was unable to pick out the target with his strike, sending the ball wide.
Things settled into something of a midfield battle as the match continued; both sides enjoying time on the ball, whilst struggling to create anything to test their opposition's defences, although Josh Gordon did see an effort on goal blocked in the twenty-fourth minute, shortly before Isaac Hutchinson fired wide.
The visiting side continued to press, winning corner in the twenty-ninth and thirty-third minutes, as first Joseph Olowu and then Matthew Craig were forced to turn the ball behind, but nothing would come of either as the Rovers defences stood firm.
Walsall could have taken the lead ten minutes before the break, as Josh Gordon worked the ball to Liam Gordon, but the winger was unable to keep the ball down, firing over from a tight angle.
Joe Foulkes became the first player to be shown the yellow card, as he was cautioned following a foul on James Maxwell in the thirty-seventh minute.
Doncaster found the breakthrough in the thirty-ninth minute, as an Adelakun ball in caught the Walsall defences off-guard, finding Molyneux, who in turn passed to Ironside to convert, putting his side a goal to the good.
The hosts almost doubled their advantage in the forty-third minute, as Sterry fired an effort goal-wards from the edge of the area, but Walsall shot-stopper, Owen Evans was well positioned to make the save.
Three additional minutes were added to end the first-half, during which time Doncaster almost made it two, as Ironside hooked the ball goal-wards from a free-kick, but the ball was well cleared by the Saddlers defences.
Hakeeb Adelakun became the second player to see yellow, as he received a caution two minutes into those added, following a foul on Adegboyega.
That would be the final action of note for the first-half, and the teams headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with Doncaster leading by one-goal-to-nil at the break.
Walsall chose to make a change to their line-up as the teams returned, with Jamille Matt sitting out the second-half, as Mo Faal took his place.
Doncaster began the second-half brightly, with Adelakun picking out the bottom corner with a strike just two minutes after the restart, but the officials flag was raised for an infringement of the offside rule, and the goal was disallowed.
Things settled after that, with both sides defending well to deny their opposition chances on goal, although Walsall did win a corner in the fifty-third minute, as Richard Wood was forced to turn the ball out of play. Nothing would come of the flag-kick though.
As we reached the hour mark, Adelakun almost doubled his sides advantage, as he fired goal-wards from the edge of the area, but he narrowly missed the target, rippling the side netting.
Rovers chose to make their first change of the evening in the sixty-third minute, with Tommy Rowe departing in favour of Harrison Biggins.
Josh Gordon joined those already playing on a caution, as he was shown the yellow card for a foul on Sterry, in the sixty-fifth minute.
With sixty-seven minutes played, Walsall opted to make a second change to their line-up, with Joe Foulkes making way for Danny Johnson.
The hosts won a corner twenty minutes from time, as Biggins played a low ball in for Molyneux, with his effort on goal being turned behind by Taylor Allen, with a second following moments later as David Okagbue put the ball out of play. Despite their best efforts, nothing would come of that flag-kick either as the Saddlers eventually scrambled the ball clear.
Josh Gordon became the third Saddler to be substituted in the seventy-fourth minute, as he made way for Douglas James-Taylor.
Doncaster doubled their advantage in the seventy-seventh minute, with Sterry playing a long ball over the top for Adelakun, who beat the Walsall defences to get a head to it, heading over Evans and into the net.
There was a brief halt to proceedings in the seventy-ninth minute, allowing Ryan Stirk to receive attention from the medical team. He returned to action briefly, but was unable to make a mark, as Ross Tierney was brought on in his place in the eighty-second minute.
The hosts continued to test the Walsall defences as the match continued, with Maxwell racing goal-wards in the eighty-fourth minute, before firing a low effort in on goal, but he was unable to find the target, sending the ball narrowly wide.
Five minutes from time, Doncaster made two further changes to their team, with Matthew Craig and Hakeeb Adelakun making for George Broadbent and Kyle Hurst.
Five additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time, Harrison Biggins joined those playing on a caution, as he was shown the yellow card for a foul on Tierney.
The resulting free-kick was taken by Hutchinson, who fired goal-wards from a tight angle, finding the target to reduce his sides deficit to one.
Rovers responded to the goal, by making their final change of the evening, with Luke Molyneux making way for Jay McGrath.
Unfortunately for the Saddlers, they ran out of time, with the match being brought to it's conclusion with Doncaster winning by two-goals-to-one
| IRONSIDE (39') ADELAKUN (77') |
HUTCHINSON (90+3') |
| AT | ECO-POWER STADIUM |
| REFEREE | BENJAMIN SPEEDIE |