Walsall were back in Sky Bet League Two action on Saturday afternoon as they took on Salford City at the Peninsula Stadium.Looking to build upon their midweek triumph over Fulham Under-21s in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy, the Saddlers had plenty of momentum behind them as they cintinued their solid start to the campaign.
Salford began the game brightly, working their way forwards just a minute into the contest, but Liam Garbutt's low cross in from the left was well cleared by Taylor Allen before anyone had the chance to turn the ball goal-wards.
Both sides took some time to settle into the game after that, but seven minutes in, Walsall won a corner as Stephan Negru turned the ball out of play. Jamie Jellis swung the ball into the penalty area from the flag-kick, where Harry Williams was on hand to head goal-wards, but his effort sailed narrowly wide of the upright.
Things remained settled as the match continued, with both teams enjoying spells with the ball, whilst creating little going forwards.
Shortly after we reached the quarter hour mark, Dan Chesters managed to work the ball to Kylian Kouassi on the edge of the area, but the strikers low effort was easily saved by Walsall shot-stopper, Tommy Simkin.
At the other end, in the twenty-first minute, the visiting side saw a chance to take the lead go begging, as Ryan Stirk played the ball to Allen, who worked his way into space and fired goal-wards from distance, but Salford's keeper, Jamie Jones was alert to the danger and got enough of a touch to keep the ball out, and the resulting corner came to nothing.
The Saddlers continued to press, with Stirk seeing a strike from outside the box blocked in the twenty-fifth minute.
Luke Garbutt became the first player to see his name taken by the referee, as he was cautioned, in the thirty-first minute, after a foul on Jellis.
Things settled again as the game continued, with both sides struggling to break through their opposition defences.
With thirty-eight minutes on the clock, Taylor Allen joined Garbutt in the referee's notebook, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Kouassi.
Salford went close to finding an opener, five minutes before the break, as Tyrese Fornah worked his way into space before firing a powerful effort goal-wards from twenty-five yards out, but his shot failed to trouble Simkin, as it sailed inches wide of the target.
One minute was added to end the first-half, but there was little further action of note, and the sides headed off with the scores unchanged.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and the action got back underway. Salford began the second-half brightly, with Hakeeb Adelakun, spotting Simkin off his line, firing a low effort goal-wards from distance just two minutes after the re-start, but David Okagbue was alert to the danger and diverted the effort behind, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
The Saddlers won a corner at the other end just two minutes later, as Stephan Negru turned the ball behind, but nothing would come of that either as Nathan Lowe's strike from the centre of the box was blocked.
Lowe had more luck in the fifty-first minute, as the Stoke City loanee got on the end of a Connor Barrett cross and fired into the top corner to put his side ahead.
The visiting side were presented with a chance to double their advantage just four minutes later, as a low ball from Williams deflected into the path of Lowe, who drew a great save from Jones, with the ball then falling to Stirk, who put his effort wide.
Walsall did secure a second goal in the fifty-seventh minute, just six minutes after their first, as a high ball into the box from Barrett was played on by Lowe for Charlie Lakin, who fired past Jones.
Salford responded to falling two goals behind by making a triple substitution, with Liam Shephard, Ben Woodburn and Dan Chesters making way for Kelly N'Mai, Conor McAleny and Francis Okoronkwo.
The hosts looked to pull a goal back quickly, with Fornah seeing an effort from outside the area blocked in the sixty-first minute, before Kouassi won a corner for his side as he forced Allen to clear behind. The ball in from the flag-kick was good, with Garbutt finding the head of Curtis Tilt, but the defenders effort on goal sailed wide.
At the other end, the Saddlers continued to seek additions to their tally, with Lakin playing in Liam Gordon in the sixty-third minute, with the midfielders effort being blocked, before Jellis fired high and wide from outside the box moments later.
City won a corner in the sixty-fifth minute, as Okagbue turned the ball out of play, but Simkin was alert to the danger and made a reflex save to turn Adelakun's ball in away from goal.
Charlie Lakin joined those playing on a caution in the sixty-fifth minute, as he was shown the yellow card for a foul on N'Mai.
A fourth Salford change followed, as Curtis Tilt was replaced by Haji Mnoga, in the the sixty-sixth minute.
The hosts created a chance to pull a goal back in the sixty-ninth minute, but Adelakun was unable to turn Fornah's ball through home, sending it narrowly wide of the upright.
Walsall opted to make a double change to their line-up, in the seventy-first minute, as Jamille Matt and Charlie Lakin were replaced by Albert Adomah and Jack Earing.
Salford continued to seek a route back into the game, with Adelakun seeing an effort from the left blocked in the seventy-eighth minute.
Things settled as we entered the final ten minutes, with much of the action centred around the midfield area.
Liam Gordon saw his name added to the referee's notebook in the eighty-sixth minute, as he was cautioned following a foul on N'Mai. The resulting free-kick saw Garbutt curl a deflected effort onto the roof of the net, with the corner which followed coming to nothing.
Salford chose to make their fifth and final change of the game in the eighty-seventh minute, with Josh Austerfield making way for Cole Stockton.
Four minutes were added to end the match, during which time, Harry Williams became the fourth Saddler to receive a caution, as he was shown a yellow card for a foul on Kouassi.
There was little further action of note though, and the referee called time with Walsall winning by two-goals-to-nil. A good afternoon for the travelling side, who allowed their opposition plenty of time with the ball but stifled their ability to create chances, whilst taking their own well.
| LOWE (51') LAKIN (57') |
|
| AT | PENINSULA STADIUM |
| REFEREE | DECLAN BOURNE |