Walsall returned to Sky Bet League Two action on Saturday afternoon as they made their way to Blundell Park and took on Grimsby Town.
Grimsby looked the brighter of the two sides in the early goings, seeing much of the ball, but failing to create anything of note, although they did win the first corner of the match in the tenth minute, as Connor Barrett put the ball out of play, though nothing would come of the flag-kick.
Walsall began to grow into the game as it continued, enjoying their first real spell with the ball after the Grimsby corner, but having worked their way upfield through Nathan Lowe, a foul from the Walsall number seven brought a premature end to the move.
The Saddlers continued to enjoy a brighter spell though, with Barrett and Lowe combining well in the fourteenth minute, to work the side into shooting range, with the former getting into the area before delivering a low ball across the box, which nobody was able to connect with.
The hosts soon had the ball back at the other end, where Danny Rose saw a chance taken from him by Walsall shot-stopper, Tommy Simkin.
Rose was presented with another chance to open the scoring in the twenty-first minute, as George McEachran worked the ball through to him, but Simkin was again able to get a touch to deny him. A couple of Grimsby corners followed, but the hosts were unable to make use of them to test the Walsall defences.
Grimsby continued to look the brighter of the two sides, with Luca Barrington drawing another save from Simkin, in the twenty-sixth minute, with a good strike from outside the area.
There was a brief pause in proceedings in the thirty-second minute, allowing Simkin to receive attention from the medical team, but fortunately, he was soon back on his feet and able to continue.
George McEachran picked up the first yellow card of the game, as he was cautioned following a foul on Barrett, in the thirty-fifth minute.
Another halt to proceedings followed in the thirty-seventh minute, allowing Evan Khouri to receive treatment after he was caught by Barrett, but he too was soon back to his feet and play resumed once more.
Walsall created a chance late in the first-half, as Jamie Jellis fired a low shot in which was picked up by Jamille Matt, whose effort on goal was turned wide by Cameron McJannet, with the resulting corner coming to nothing as Taylor Allen's ball in was headed wide by Williams.
Four additional minutes were added to end the first-half, during which time Walsall had a goal disallowed, as Barrett crossed the ball in for Liam Gordon, who bundled home, but the referee had spotted something and a free-kick was awarded to Grimsby.
That would be the final action of note, and the sides headed back to their respective dressing rooms with the scores still tied.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and Grimsby got the second-half underway. The hosts began the half brightly, with Denver Hume crossing the ball into the area, just four minutes after the restart, for McJannet, but the defender was unable to find the target with his headed effort.
Grimsby continued to press, with Barrington playing the ball through to Hume, whose low strike from distance sailed wide of the far post.
Walsall grew into the game once more as it continued, and with fifty-six minutes on the clock, the visiting side took the lead, as Barrett crossed the ball into the area for Matt, who rose to meet it and headed into the far corner to secure his fourth goal of the season.
The visiting side continued to press, seeking to add to their tally, but Ryan Stirk's cross to Charlie Lakin, in the sixty-third minute, ultimately came to nothing as the midfielders low effort was blocked.
That would prove to be Charlie Lakin's final involvement, as he was replaced by Jack Earing in the sixty-fifth minute.
The Saddlers continued to seek further goals, to put some daylight between the sides, with Stirk playing the ball into the path of Lowe, in the sixty-eighth minute, but the strikers effort failed to test Grimsby 'keeper, Jackson Smith as it sailed over the crossbar.
Unperturbed, Walsall continued to press, and were rewarded in the sixty-ninth minute, as a poor clearance from the hosts found Jellis, who did well to bring the ball under control before firing a powerful volley into the top corner from distance.
Grimsby responded to the goal by making their first change of the afternoon, with George McEachran making way for Callum Ainley.
The change did not have the desired effect for the hosts, as Walsall went on to add a third goal just five minutes after the second, as the side won a corner which was delivered to the near post by Allen, for Barrett who flicked the ball on for Lowe who turned it home from close range.
Town once again responded to a Walsall goal by making changes to their line-up, with Cameron Gardner and Harvey Rodgers making way for Donovan Wilson and Douglas Tharme.
Ten minutes from time, Walsall chose to make their second change of the afternoon, with Jamille Matt departing in favour of Albert Adomah.
Four minutes later, the home side opted to make their final two changes of the game, as Luca Barrington and Jason Svanthórsson were replaced by Matty Carson and Tyrell Warren.
Walsall followed suit, just two minutes later, making their final substitutions of the match, with Ryan Stirk, Nathan Lowe and Jamie Jellis sitting out the final moments of the game as Brandon Comley, Danny Johnson and George Hall took their places.
Grimsby pulled a goal back, in the eighty-seventh minute, as Wilson took the ball from Simkin and tapped home into an empty net.
Five additional minutes were added to end the match, and just one minute into them, Walsall ensured the game was put to bed, as the ball was played in for the recently introduced Johnson, who poked home from close range.
Matty Carson became only the second player to be shown the yellow card, as was cautioned for a foul on Comley in the ninety-third minute.
That would prove to be the final action of note, as the referee called time on the contest with Walsall winning by four-goals-to-one. The Saddlers again taking their chances well, whilst allowing their opponents to enjoy much time with the ball but limiting their opportunities.
| WILSON (87') |
MATT (56') JELLIS (69') LOWE (74') JOHNSON (90+1') |
| AT | BLUNDELL PARK |
| REFEREE | SCOTT JACKSON |