Walsall looked to continue their unbeaten start to the season on Saturday afternoon as they made their way to the County Ground and took on Swindon Town in their second game of the 2024.25 campaign.Swindon began the game brightly, with Jeff King finding space to get a shot away from twenty-five yards out, just four minutes into the contest.
Fortunately for the Saddlers, he was unable to keep the effort on target, dragging the ball narrowly wide of the upright.
Walsall soon created a chance to open the scoring at the other end, as Jamille Matt played in Josh Gordon, in the sixth minute, but Swindon shot-stopper, Jack Bycroft was alert to the danger and made a strong save to deny him.
The visiting side continued to enjoy a good spell, with Ryan Stirk seeing an effort sail high and wide of the target in the eighth minute, before Charlie Lakin headed over an Oisin McEntee cross moments later.
The Saddlers continued to seek an early goal, with Stirk playing a promising ball over the top for Josh Gordon, in the eleventh minute, but the strikers effort on goal sailed wide.
Things settled a little as the match continued, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball, without creating much to test their opposition defences, until Town went close in the nineteenth minute, as Freckleton crossed a low ball into the area for Harry Smith, who glanced his headed effort narrowly wide of the near post.
The hosts continued to enjoy a good spell of play, with the ball finding Smith again, two minutes later, but the strikers effort from twenty-five yards out could only find the post, before Walsall shot-stopper, Tommy Simkin gathered.
The game settled back into something of a midfield battle as it continued; both teams seeing plenty of the ball, whilst failing to find a way through their opposition defences.
Thirty-one minutes into the contest, the Saddlers did go close, as Liam Gordon worked the ball into the box for Josh Gordon, but the strikers headed effort was well saved by Bycroft.
Josh Gordon had more luck two minutes later, as the striker found himself one-on-one with the Swindon 'keeper, and slotted home to open the scoring.
Harry Smith became the first player to yellow, in the thirty-seventh minute, as he was cautioned for a foul on Simkin.
Four minutes before the break, Walsall doubled their advantage; Liam Gordon playing the ball back for Taylor Allen, who delivered a perfectly weighted cross onto the head of Jamille Matt, who found the far corner.
Walsall were also forced to make their first change of the afternoon in the forty-first minute, as Josh Gordon was unable to continue, having earlier appeared to tweak his hamstring, with Albert Adomah taking his place.
Swindon looked to reduce the deficit in the forty-second minute, with captain, Ollie Clarke firing goal-wards from just outside the area, but his strike sailed over the crossbar, without troubling the man between the sticks.
Three 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 Walsall leading by two-goals-to-nil
Swindon opted to make a change as the sides returned, with Nnamdi Ofoborh sitting out the second-half, as Aaron Drinan took his place.
Just three minutes after the re-start, a foul by Ollie Clarke, on Jamie Jellis, saw the Town man cautioned, and the visiting side awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position, just outside the box. Taylor Allen took the set-piece, curling his effort into the top corner to add a third to his sides tally.
Town looked to get back into the game, with Smith firing an effort goal-wards from close range in the fifty-third minute, but the Walsall defences stood firm and the shot was blocked.
As we reached the hour mark, Swindon chose to make a second change to their line-up, with Rosaire Longelo making way for Tunmise Sobowale.
Four minutes after the change was completed, Walsall added a fourth goal. Adomah finding the net for the first time in a Walsall shirt, with the help of a deflection, after some good play from Connor Barrett to get the ball forward for him.
With sixty-five minutes on the clock, the Saddlers opted to make their second substitution of the afternoon, with Jamie Jellis being replaced by Jack Earing.
Four minutes later, the Robins chose to make their third change of the game, with Paul Glatzel departing in favour of Jake Cain.
The game settled into something of a midfield battle once more, as it continued, with neither side looking likely to add further goals.
Seventy-four minutes into the contest, Walsall opted to make their third and final change of the afternoon, with Jamille Matt making way for Ronan Maher.
Walsall almost added a fifth goal in the eightieth minute, as Earing worked the ball to the edge of the area for Adomah, but the midfielder curled his effort wide of the upright.
Five minutes from time, Swindon opted to make their fourth and final change of the game, with Ollie Clarke making way for Dylan Mitchell.
The Saddlers again went close to adding another goal, in the eighty-seventh minute, as the ball found its way to Lakin, following a corner, with the midfielder controlling well before seeing his twenty-five-yard effort deflected to Bycroft, who did well to get enough of a touch to tip it over the bar.
Four additional minutes were added to end the match. There was little further action of note, and the game was brought to its conclusion with Walsall winning by four-goals-to-nil. A superb display from the Saddlers, who took their chances well and limited their oppositions opportunities.
| J. GORDON (33') MATT (41') ALLEN (49') ADOMAH (64') |
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| AT | THE COUNTY GROUND |
| REFEREE | LEE SWABEY (DEVON) |