A Walsall XI made their way to the Lamb Ground on Saturday afternoon as they took on Tamworth in their latest outing ahead of the 2024/24 campaign.Looking to add more all-important match minutes and take a look at some more of the players at his disposal, Head Coach Mat Sadler named a team including several scholars and already-contracted players.
The game took a little while to settle down with the first opening not arriving until the thirteenth-minute mark when B.Trialist's cross was fired over the bar by C.Trialist. A nice move from the Sadlers but no end product in the early stages.
Tamworth's first opportunity arrived via a ball down the left wing which Ben Acquaye produced a neat touch before sending an effort wide of the Walsall goal.
The home side continued their pursuit of a goal as Kyle Finn's pacy free-kick was flicked onto the back post where former Saddler Callum Cockerill-Mollett saw a header tipped over the bar.
The resulting corner saw A.Trialist forced into a punching save before a well-worked throw-in saw the defence called into action as the danger was cleared.
Tamworth's Finn continued to pepper the Walsall box with crosses as his free-kick found the head of Daniel Creaney, but his effort didn’t trouble the Walsall keeper as the scores remained tied.
Later, Tyler Deacon was able to find Finn in space, although the attacker was unable to make the most of his space as he, once again, failed to trouble the 'keeper with a half-volley.
The Saddlers were forced into a substitution after the half-hour mark as St Kitts & Nevis man Cayden Bennett made way for Charlie Wragg.
The Creaney/ Finn partnership continued as the former found the latter with a ball from deep but was unable to create another opening as the re-jigged Walsall backline was alert to the danger and cleared the ball.
Up at the other end, the Saddlers built an attack down the right wing before a cross was sent across the box, with Callum Cullinane-Liburd and Leon Phillips combining to clear the threat.
The first goal of the game came within five minutes of half-time as Creaney's long ball was played into the path of the ever-dangerous Finn's path, he was able to run the length of the Walsall half before taking the ball around his man before placing it into the back of the net.
Tamworth almost added to their lead in the dying stages of the half as Jamie Willets directed a header towards the bottom far corner, forcing A.Trialist into a solid save.
Tamworth looked to continue where they left off as Finn sent the ball down the right to Kai Lissimore, he hit the ball well but didn't really trouble to 'keeper as the score was unchanged.
Walsall's first chance of the second half saw Evan Weir send a ball into the back post where C.Trialist was able to get beyond his man before sending a diving header wide of the post.
The Saddlers were able to get themselves back on level terms nine minutes into the half as former Lamb Jamie Jellis picked up the ball on the right before cutting inside and curling the into the far corner of the goal.
The home side was soon back on the attack as they forced a free kick on the edge of the Walsall area where Finn stepped up before firing the ball over the bar.
January signing Evan Weir was next up to his luck with a free-kick, and his effort went closer than Finn's as it landed on the roof of the net, Weir bringing a long list of free-kick goals with him from former club Drogheda United.
The Saddlers opted to make a change later in the half as goalscorer Jellis was replaced by scholar Jackson Preece. A well-deserved round of applause for Jellis as he made his way to the bench.
Preece was soon involved in the action as his flick found B.Trialist in some space, he delivered the ball to C.Trialist but the latter couldn't make the most of his chance as his header went wide, the teams remaining deadlocked.
Our hosts opted to ring the changes as Kyle Finn, Daniel Creaney, Ty Deacon, Ben Acquaye, Kai Lissimore, Trialist and Trialist, were replaced by Ben Milnes. Luke Fairlamb, Chris Wreh, Tom McGlinchey, Nathan Tshikuna, Beck-Ray Enoru, and Trialist.
Walsall's next opportunity in front of goal saw Ronan Maher send an effort over the bar after battling to make space for the shot on the edge of the area. Close but not close enough.
Walsall went into the lead thirteen minutes before full-time as, after a free-kick was awarded for a trip on the edge of the area, D.Trialist stepped up and sent a superb dipping, curling free-kick into the back of the net.
Sadly for the Saddlers, their lead didn't last as second-half substitute Chris Wreh drove towards the Walsall area and, assisted by a distracting runner, slammed the ball along the floor and into the bottom left corner.
Walsall were soon back into the lead as Dylan Thomas lobbed the ball over Leon Phillips after the Saddler made the most of a free-kick that found Thomas in plenty of space.
| FINN (40') WREH (86') |
JELLIS (54') D.TRIALIST (77') THOMAS (89') |
| AT | THE LAMB GROUND |