Walsall Under-18s were back in action on Saturday morning as they took on Forest Green Rovers in their first EFL Youth Alliance Cup outing of the new campaign.After a difficult start to the league season that saw them lose three in a row, the young Saddlers have finally found their feet as they reached the clash with FGR on the back of two wins in as many games.
Their most recent victory saw the ten men of Walsall - Kobe Wilkes seeing red in the first half - rebound from going a goal down to take all three points as Finley Teesdale and Jaiy Leydon netted to secure the win.
WALSALL TEAM
Pitt; Green, Owen, Oben, Bennett, Harris, Makavore, Preece, Wragg, Thomas, Leydon
Substitutes: Simkiss; Roberts, Etheridge, Taylor, Teesdale
Saturday's match kicked off at around 11.00am and saw both sides go in search of an early goal with Rovers eventually succeeding as Saddlers defender Ellis Harris saw a header fly past Alfie Pitt and into the back of his own net with just five minutes on the clock.
Walsall didn't allow their misfortune to hold them down and went on to level the scores just two minutes later as Dylan Thomas, who had been drafted into the team as he looked to maintain fitness ahead of a potential first-team EFL Trophy cameo in midweek, scored with a header of his own.
Sadly for the young Saddlers, they couldn't maintain parity for long as the visitors went on to retake the lead with fifteen minutes of the first-half remaining, although their lead didn't hold as Walsall were quickly out of the traps in the second forty-five when Jaiy Leydon levelled just moments into the half.
The second half saw the usual raft of changes as the managers looked for fresh legs in a bid to secure the winning goal of the game, and, unfortunately for those of us with a Walsall persuasion, that went the way of the visitors.
With just over ten minutes of the second half remaining the visitors were awarded a penalty as, following a counter-attack, they broke into the box forcing a Saddlers defender into action and, despite 'keeper Pitt getting something on the effort, the spot kick was successful with Rovers taking the lead, and ultimately the win.
WALSALL
Pitt; Green, Owen (Roberts, 46'), Oben 🟨, Bennett, Harris (Taylor, 80'), Makavore (Teesdale, 75'), Preece, Wragg, Thomas (Etheridge, 62'), Leydon
Unused: Simkiss
| THOMAS (7') LEYDON (46') |
HARRIS [OG] (5') TBC (30') TBC [P] (79') |
| AT | RAY HALL LANE |