Walsall were back in action on Tuesday evening as they welcomed Bromley to the Poundland Bescot Stadium for their rearranged Sky Bet League Two clash.Bromley began the game brightly, seeing plenty of the early ball but finding themselves unable to make the most of the openings they created.
Walsall grew into the game, and six minutes in, created a promising move of their own, as Jack Earing worked the ball to Nathan Lowe, who crossed the ball towards the back post for Liam Gordon, but the striker was unable to make a connection. An injury to Byron Webster then brought a halt to proceedings, though he was soon back on his feet and play resumed.
The Saddlers continued to show promise as the game continued, but they were unable to create any clear cut chances, although Donervon Daniels did fire an effort wide in the eleventh minute.
The visiting side soon had the ball in the box at the other end, but Michael Cheek was unable to beat the Walsall defences with his effort on goal.
Walsall were awarded a free-kick in a promising position, nineteen minutes in, which Taylor Allen fired goal-wards, but Bromley 'keeper, Grant Smith was well positioned to make the save to deny him.
Smith was called into action again, just three minutes later, as Earing took control of the ball inside his own half and set Lowe racing away with it, but the forwards eventual effort on goal was denied by the outstretched leg of the man between the sticks.
Moments later, with the ball back at the other end, Bromley saw a good chance go begging, as Cheek crossed the ball into the box, with Corey Whitely heading it on for Olufela Olomola, whose effort on goal sailed high and wide of the target.
Bromley continued to enjoy a good spell, and should probably have opened the scoring in the twenty-eighth minute, as a long throw from Kamarl Grant was eventually worked to Cheek, whose downward strike bounced wide of the target, when he probably should have scored.
Walsall soon had the ball back at the other end, and missed a sitter themselves, as a cross from Earing was cleared into the path of Allen, but the defender sent the ball sailing high over the crossbar from close range.
The home side continued to enjoy a bright spell, going close again just two minutes later, as George Hall saw an effort on goal blocked, with the ball then falling kindly for Earing, whose low shot on goal was deflected wide, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
There was another brief halt to proceedings in the thirty-fourth minute, allowing Webster to receive attention for a knock, but he was soon able to rejoin the action.
Bromley went close again at the other end in the thirty-sixth minute, as Olomola fired a low strike goal-wards from a tight angle, but he was unable to find the target, with the ball coming back off the upright, allowing the Saddlers to clear.
The visiting side went close again three minutes later, as Olomola ran through on goal, with Daniels doing magnificently to get a foot to the ball at the last second to deny him.
Walsall finally found the breakthrough five minutes before the break, as David Okagbue headed the ball on for Liam Gordon who raced upfield and into the box before sending a powerful strike beyond Smith.
Things settled just a little after the goal was scored, and two additional minutes were added to end the first-half, during which time there was little action of note, and the sides headed back to their respective dressing rooms with Walsall leading by one-goal-to-nil.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and the action got back underway. The second-half began as a rather scrappy affair, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball but struggling to create anything of note.
Bromley were presented with a chance to level the scores ten minutes into the second-half, as Connor Barrett turned the ball behind. The corner kick was swung into the area by Ben Thompson and met by the head of Omar Sowunmi, but the defenders downward effort was well saved by leg of Walsall shot-stopper, Tommy Simkin.
Four minutes later, the visiting side did draw level, as the Saddlers failed to clear a long throw from Grant, with the ball eventually falling to Cheek, who fired home from the centre of the area.
Walsall chose to make their first changes of the evening in the sixty-first minute, with Jack Earing and George Hall making way for Jamie Jellis and Brandon Comley.
The Saddlers set about looking to regain their earlier lead, but Ryan Stirk's effort from the edge of the area, in the sixty-seventh minute, sailed well wide of the target, shortly before Allen saw a strike from outside the box blocked.
At the other end, moments later, it was Simkin who kept the scores level, as Jude Arthurs crossed the ball into the area for Grant, who broke free of his marker and headed goal-wards, but the shot-stopper got down well and held the effort.
Bromley captain, Byron Webster picked up the first yellow card of the game, in the seventy-fourth minute, as he was cautioned for a foul on Lowe, who was looking to break.
Walsall chose to make a third substitution fifteen minutes from time, with Connor Barrett being replaced by Albert Adomah.
A first Bromley change followed moments later, as Olufela Olomola made way for Cameron Congreve.
With seventy-seven minutes on the clock, Bromley took the lead, as Cheek played the ball to Danny Imray, who raced forwards, beating his man, and fired past Simkin from a tight angle.
The Saddlers chose to make their final change of the evening in the eightieth minute, as Ryan Stirk was replaced by Danny Johnson for the final ten minutes or so.
The home side looked to restore parity moments after the change was completed, with Jellis firing goal-wards from the edge of the area, but the ball came off the outside of his boot and sailed high and wide of the target.
The final ten minutes were a rather scrappy affair, with Bromley looking the more likely of the two sides to add further goals, though they were unable to create anything to really trouble their hosts defences.
Four additional minutes were added to end the match. Walsall won a corner late into added time, as Idris Odutayo turned the ball out of play. Allen swung the ball into the area, and after a scramble in the box, Okagbue turned over the line to level the score.
That would be the final action of the evening, as the game was brought to its conclusion with the sides each taking one point from the encounter.
| L. GORDON (40') JELLIS (90+4') |
CHEEK (59') IMRAY (77') |
| AT | BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | MICHAEL BARLOW |