The Saddlers returned to action on Tuesday evening as they took on Birmingham City in their opening Southern Group A game of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy.Looking to build upon last weekend's welcome win over Cheltenham Town, the Saddlers were up against well-backed opponents who had smashed the League One transfer record just days earlier.
The match got off to a scrappy start, with both sides seeing plenty of the ball in the early goings, without creating anything to trouble their opposition defences.
Birmingham created the first real chance of the evening, in the ninth minute, as Alfie May worked the ball to Jay Stansfield, who fired a powerful low strike goal-wards, forcing Walsall shot-stopper, Sam Hornby to get down low to make the save.
At the other end, just two minutes later, Walsall found themselves with a chance to open the scoring; Jack Earing picking up a loose ball and playing it in low for Ronan Maher, who launched a nice run forwards, before seeing his momentum halted by Christoph Klarer.
The Saddlers continued to press, winning a corner moments later, as a low strike from Harry Williams was turned behind, but the Birmingham defences were able to clear the danger.
Things settled again as the game continued, but the Saddlers won another corner in the twenty-second minute, which was initially cleared by City shot-stopper, Ryan Allsop, but the visiting side kept the move alive and worked the ball back into shooting range, though nothing would ultimately come of the opportunity.
Walsall continued to look the more likely of the two sides to open the scoring as the action continued, with Connor Barrett crossing the ball onto the head of an unmarked Nathan Lowe, in the twenty-seventh minute, but the striker was unable to beat the City shot-stopper, who made an easy save.
Birmingham were quick to work the ball up to the other end, with Ayumu Yokoyama cutting inside before firing goal-wards, but Williams was well positioned to block the effort.
After a quieter spell, the hosts came again, with Stansfield creating space for himself inside the area, in the thirty-eighth minute, but Williams was again on hand to block.
Birmingham went close again, moments before the break, as Yokoyama cut inside and sent an effort in on goal, but his strike was deflected into the side netting.
That would be the final action of note for the first-half, with the scores remaining unchanged at the break.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and just three minutes after the restart, Walsall opened the scoring as a long ball forward found Barrett, who crossed the ball into the area for Charlie Lakin, who fired the visiting side into the lead, with his first goal in a Saddlers shirt coming against his former club.
Birmingham were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position in the fifty-first minute, as Taylor Gardner-Hickman was felled by Ronan Maher on the edge of the box, with the Walsall man becoming the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned for the challenge. Marc Leonard fired a powerful strike goal-wards from the set-piece, but his effort struck the crossbar.
That would be Marc Leonard's final involvement in the game, as he, Ben Davies and Brandon Khela were all substituted, in the fifty-fifth minute, with Paik Seung-Ho, Krystian Bielik and Alex Cochrane took their respective places.
The hosts were presented with a chance to level the scores as we reached the hour mark, winning a corner kick, but Lakin was on hand to head clear the ball in at the front post.
City worked the ball back into the danger zone, with Gardner-Hickman creating space to shoot, in the sixty-third minute, but his strike was deflected into the hands of Hornby.
With sixty-seven minutes on the clock, Birmingham opted to make their fourth change of the evening, with Ayumu Yokoyama making way for Emil Hansson.
Two minutes later, Walsall chose to make their first changes of the game, with Jack Earing and Ronan Maher being replaced by Jamie Jellis and Reyes Cleary.
Birmingham won a corner in seventy-fourth minute, as Hornby was forced to turn a long range effort from May behind, but nothing would come of the flag-kick.
The home side made their fifth and final change of the game in the seventy-sixth minute, with Scott Wright departing in favour of Lukas Jutkiewicz.
Ryan Stirk became the second player to be shown the yellow card, as he was cautioned following a foul, in the seventy-eighth minute.
The hosts continued to seek an equaliser as the game continued, but they struggled to create much that would trouble the Walsall defences, though they did win a corner in the seventy-ninth minute, though it would come to nothing.
With eight minutes of the game remaining, Walsall made their third change of the evening, with Nathan Lowe making way for Jamille Matt.
Birmingham won a corner in the eighty-third minute, as Hornby got his fingertips to a powerful Tomoki Iwata strike to turn the ball behind. The ball in from the flag-kick eventually found Klarer, who turned home to level the scores.
The Blues continued to press, buoyed by the goal, and almost added a second in the eighty-sixth minute, as May fired goal-wards, but Hornby was alert to the danger and made the save.
City to continued to ask questions of the Walsall defences, winning a corner two minutes from time, but the Saddlers defended well and nothing would come of it.
The hosts continued to press, with May seeing a ball into the area blocked by Williams, moments before the Saddlers scrambled clear to deny Paik.
Five additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time Gardner-Hickman drilled a promising cross across the face of goal, but none of his teammates were able to get a telling touch to turn it home.
Walsall were presented with a late chance to win the match, with Williams crossing the ball in for Lakin, but the City shot-stopper was alert to the danger and gathered.
Birmingham were thwarted again at the other end, moments later, as May fired goal-wards, being denied, once again, by Williams. The hosts created one final chance seconds before the whistle sounded, with Iwata shooting from the edge of the area, but he found Stirk in his way and with that, the game was brought to it's conclusion with the sides each having secured one goal, forcing a penalty shoot-out to determine which side would be awarded a bonus point.
Walsall went on to take the extra point, with Allen, Lakin, Jellis and Cleary all converting their spot-kicks, whilst two Birmingham men, Paik and May, were denied by Hornby.
| KLARER (85') | LAKIN (48') |
| AT | ST. ANDREW'S |
| REFEREE | SAM PURKISS |