Walsall Under-18s returned to action on Saturday afternoon as they welcomed Bradford City Under-18s to Ray Hall Lane for their latest EFL Youth Alliance outing of the season.Winless in their three opening games of the season, the young Saddlers were hoping to earn their first points of the season at the expense of the Bantams.
WALSALL TEAM
Kilroy; Bennett, Owen, Preece, Wilkes, Harris, Makavore, Thomas, Wragg, Etheridge, Leydon
Substitutes: Barber; Roberts, Oben, Teesdale, Bonn
BRADFORD CITY STARTING XI
Robinson, Murray, Boney, Thompson, Goodman, Brooks, Martin, Wadsworth, Ibbitson, Mohamed, Rose-Campbell
In what is becoming an all-too-familiar occurrence, the first goal of the game went the way of the visitors but only after the Saddlers saw a chance of their own go begging.
With nine minutes on the clock, Walsall midfielder Ellis Harris saw an effort cannon off the Bantams' crossbar, with the visitors able to regroup and go on to take the lead a few minutes later.
George Goodman was able to find Mahmoud Mohammed in acres of space, he controlled the ball before stabbing it into the bottom corner of Jenson Kilroy's goal.
The Saddlers didn't allow their heads to drop and were soon back on level terms when Paul Makavore unleashed a superb volley beyond the 'keeper as City were pegged back.
The second half was beset by the usual raft of changes as City replaced Oli Thompson with Franklin Denison before Will Etheridge made way for McLoyd Oben for the Saddlers.
Walsall created the first opening of the half as Bantams stopper Jack Robinson did well to save Jaiy Leydon's low, curling effort.
City's first opening saw Harry Ibbitson get on the end of a Lewis Boney corner with his header going narrowly wide of the Kilroy's post.
Walsall's next effort on goal saw Charlie Wragg send a shot just wide of the post after getting on the end of a superb through ball. So close.
The Saddlers didn't allow their thwarted effort to keep them down for long as Wragg broke down the pitch following a City corner, before beating two defenders and slamming the ball past the visiting 'keeper to give his side the lead.
Walsall's next moves came on the bench as Marley Roberts took the place of Thomas Owen before Finn Teesdale came on for Paul Makavore as the gaffer looked for some fresh legs.
City also made a change in between the Saddlers' pair of subs with goalscorer Mahmoud Mohammed being replaced by Kieran Mboma.
Walsall added a third goal within the final five minutes of normal time as Marley Roberts saw the ball fall at his feet from a corner, with the substitute only too happy to tap the ball over the line.
A superb result for the young Saddlers as they earned their first win of the new campaign!
| MAKAVORE (16') WRAGG (75') ROBERTS (86') |
MOHAMMED (13') |
| AT | RAY HALL LANE |