Walsall were back in cup action on Tuesday evening as they played host to League One side Huddersfield Town in Round Two of the Carabao Cup.Walsall began the game brightly, seeing plenty of the early ball, though they were unable to create anything to really test the Huddersfield defences.
There was a brief halt to proceedings in the fifth minute, allowing Albert Adomah to receive attention from the medical team after injuring his shoulder in a collision. Fortunately, he was soon back on his feet and able to continue.
Huddersfield grew into the game as it continued, and could have opened the scoring ten minutes in, as Josh Ruffels worked the ball to Ben Wiles, but the midfielders cross into the box failed to find a teammate and Walsall shot-stopper, Sam Hornby, gathered.
Walsall soon had the ball back at the other end, where Ryan Stirk combined with Adomah to work the ball in for Nathan Lowe, but the Stoke City loanee fired inches wide.
Sixteen minutes into the contest, Huddersfield opened the scoring, as Wiles cut the ball back for Josh Koroma, who picked out the bottom corner with a low strike from the edge of the area.
The visiting side could have doubled their advantage just two minutes later, as Koroma found himself in good position, with seemingly just the 'keeper to beat, but Evan Weir was alert to the danger and made a superb challenge to clear the immediate threat, with the ball eventually finding Callum Marshall, who fired wide.
Josh Ruffels became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned for a foul on Lowe in the twenty-second minute.
The resulting free-kick was played into the box by Ronan Maher, finding Harry Williams, but the defenders effort on goal sailed high and wide of the target.
There was another pause in proceedings in the twenty-fifth minute, allowing Maher to receive attention after a knock to the head, but he too was soon back on his feet and cleared to continue.
The free-kick which followed fell eventually to Stirk on the edge of the area, but the number twenty-five was unable to find the target, sending the ball wide of the upright.
A further halt to proceedings was necessary in the thirty-first minute, as Stirk required treatment for a knock, but the Walsall captain was soon back on his feet and play resumed.
The hosts were presented with an opportunity to level the scores in the thirty-seventh minute, as Jack Earing picked out Lowe in good position, but the forward was let down by his first touch and the chance went begging.
Walsall continued to press, with the ball falling to Liam Gordon, in the thirty-ninth minute, but the midfielders effort sailed wide.
Up at the other end, the visiting side won a corner in the forty-first minute, as David Okagbue turned the ball behind; Antony Evans crossed the ball into the box for Matthew Pearson, whose headed effort missed the target.
That would prove to be Matthew Pearson's final involvement in the game, as Huddersfield were reduced to ten men; the defender being shown a straight red card following a foul on Earing, just outside the area.
The resulting free-kick was taken by Weir and struck the wall before Stirk picked up the ball and curled wide.
Three additional minutes were added to end the first-half, during which time Marshall saw a headed effort sail wide, moments after Koroma had sent a shot over from close range.
Antony Evans received the games second yellow card, as he was cautioned in the final of the three added minutes, following a foul on Earing. The resulting free-kick seeing Maher pick out the head of Williams with a cross into the box, but the defender was unable to find the target and the first-half was brought to it's conclusion with Huddersfield leading by one-goal-to-nil at the break.
Huddersfield opted to make a double change to their line-up ahead of the restart, with Callum Marshall and Lasse Sørensen sitting out the second-half, as Danny Ward and Michal Helik took their places.
Walsall were awarded a penalty in the forty-ninth minute, as Jaheim Headley fouled Maher inside the area. Lowe stepped forth to take the spot-kick, but Huddersfield shot-stopper, Chris Maxwell read the strike well and made the save.
The Saddlers were further punished just two minutes later, as Okagbue conceded a corner, which Evans crossed into the area where Ruffels was waiting to head home, doubling his sides advantage.
The home side almost pulled a goal back in the fifty-ninth minute, as Liam Gordon crossed the ball into the box for Lowe, who headed goal-wards, but Maxwell was well positioned to make the save.
As we reached the hour mark, Walsall chose to make a triple change to their line-up, with Ronan Maher, Ryan Stirk and Connor Barrett making way for Jamie Jellis, Charlie Lakin and Josh Gordon.
Walsall reduced the deficit to one in the sixty-third minute, winning a free-kick in a dangerous position, with the initial ball played into the box by Earing, being cleared only as far as Lowe, who fired home from the edge of the area.
Huddersfield responded to the Walsall goal by making a double substitution, with Ben Wiles and Josh Koroma making way for Tom Iorpenda and Kian Harratt, in the sixty-seventh minute.
The Saddlers levelled the scores in the seventieth minute, as Josh Gordon headed the ball in for Lowe, who coolly slotted past Maxwell.
The home side chose to introduce more fresh legs in the seventy-third minute, as they looked to grab a winner, with Jack Earing making way for Taylor Allen.
Huddersfield won a free-kick in a promising position in the seventy-fifth minute, as Jellis felled Iorpenda on the edge of the area. Evans stepped forth to take the set-piece, and fired over the wall, but his effort had too much on it and sailed over the bar.
Walsall took the lead in the seventy-seventh minute, as Allen played the ball into the path of Liam Gordon, whose strike took a deflection off Helik on it's way into the back of the net.
The visiting side were presented with an opportunity to level the scores ten minutes from time, as Ward crossed the ball in for Harratt, whose glancing header missed the target, going out for a throw.
Jamie Jellis became the first Walsall player to draw the attention of the referee, as he was cautioned in the eighty-second minute, following a foul on Headley.
Walsall really should have put the game to bed in the eighty-fifth minute, as Lowe saw a headed effort cleared by Maxwell, with Liam Gordon and Jellis seeing follow-up efforts blocked before a Josh Gordon strike was cleared off the line.
Town chose to make a final change to their line-up after that, with Antony Evans making way for Patrick Jones.
The visiting side could have levelled the scores in the eighty-seventh minute, as a headed pass from Harratt found Ward, but the strikers effort sailed wide.
Lowe almost secured his hat-trick in the eighty-ninth minute, as he spotted Maxwell off his line, and tried his luck with a strike from thirty-five yards out, but the 'keeper got back to turn the ball behind, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
Four additional minutes were added to end the game, but there was little further action of note, with the referee calling time with Walsall winning by three-goals-to-two to advance into the third round.
| LOWE (53') LOWE (70') HELIK [OG[ (77') |
KOROMA (16') RUFFELS (53') |
| AT | POUNDLAND BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | ED DICKWORTH |