Walsall returned to action on Saturday afternoon as they visited the JobServe Community Stadium and took on Colchester United, with the Saddlers looking to build upon their bounce-back draw with Salford City last weekend.Walsall saw plenty of the ball in the early goings, but it was Colchester who created the first real chance of the afternoon as, four minutes in, Ellis Iandolo and Owura Edwards combined to play in Harry Anderson, whose effort on goal, from the edge of the area, sailed wide.
Things settled a little as the game continued, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball without creating much to trouble their opposition defences, although twelve minutes in, United almost created a second chance on goal, as Jack Payne crossed the ball in, but a telling touch from David Okagbue prevented it from finding Lyle Taylor.
Taylor Allen marked his one hundredth appearance for the Saddlers, with the first yellow card of the game, as he was cautioned following a foul on Taylor in the nineteenth minute.
Walsall were awarded a free-kick, in the twenty-fifth minute, Jamie McDonnell fouled Jamille Matt. Allen played the set-piece into the area and Okagbue got his head to it, but the ball sailed wide of the target.
The Saddlers continued to press, winning a corner three minutes later, as Iandolo turned the ball out of play, but nothing would come of the flag-kick, as Colchester cleared the danger.
At the other end, the hosts won a corner themselves a short time later, as Allen cleared the ball out of play, but nothing would come of their flag-kick either.
Colchester felt they should have been awarded a penalty, thirty-two minutes in, as an outstretched arm from Oisin McEntee caused Teddy Bishop to lose his balance, but the referee was unmoved by their appeals and waved play on.
Walsall created their best chance of the game to date, in the thirty-eighth minute, as Liam Gordon fed the ball through for Charlie Lakin, whose low effort sailed inches wide of the upright.
Colchester won a corner in the forty-first minute, which Payne swung in towards the back post where Fiacre Kelleher was waiting to meet it, but the defenders headed effort could only find the side-netting.
One additional minute was added to end the first-half, but there was little further action of note and the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with the scores still tied.
The teams returned unchanged after the break and the action got back underway. Colchester began the second-half brightly, with Payne crossing a dangerous ball across the face of goal, just three minutes after the restart, but none of his teammates were able to get a touch on it to turn it home.
The hosts continued to press, winning a corner, five minutes into the second-half, as Gordon turned the ball out of play, but nothing would come of the flag-kick as Jamie McDonnell headed Payne's cross wide.
Tom Flanagan became the second player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul, in the fifty-third minute.
Fiacre Kelleher joined those playing on a caution, in the fifty-seventh minute, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Matt, and Walsall manager, Mat Sadler was also booked for dissent.
Another yellow card followed in the sixty-second minute, as Jamille Matt was cautioned for a foul on Flanagan.
The Saddlers won a free-kick in a promising position in the sixty-third minute, as Ellis Harrison was fouled by Iandolo. Allen stepped forth and fired goal-wards from the set-piece, but Colchester 'keeper, Matt Macey was able to gather.
Walsall finally found the breakthrough, in the sixty-fifth minute, as McEntee crossed the ball into the area for Harrison, who cushioned the ball back for Lakin, who fired a low strike into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
The Saddlers opted to make their first change of the afternoon, in the sixty-sixth minute with Jamille Matt making way for Albert Adomah.
Walsall's lead lasted only four minutes, as Walsall shot-stopper, Tommy Simkin cleared an initial effort from Payne back out to the hosts, who eventually worked the ball to Bishop whose low strike was beyond the reach of the 'keeper.
With sixteen minutes of the game remaining, Colchester took the lead, as Edwards picked up the ball out on the left and drove goal-wards, being afforded far too much space by the Walsall defences, before cutting inside and firing a fierce effort into the top corner.
Walsall's afternoon went from bad to worse, as they were reduced to ten men for the final twelve minutes of the game, after Taylor Allen received a second yellow card when he kicked out at Payne.
Jack Payne then found his name being taken by the referee himself, in the eighty-third minute, as he was cautioned following a foul on Gordon.
Colchester chose to make their first change of the game, in the eighty-fourth minute, with Owura Edwards making way for Kane Vincent-Young. Walsall also took the opportunity to make some changes to their line-up, as they replaced Ellis Harrison, Charlie Lakin and Ryan Stirk with Danny Johnson, Brandon Comley and Levi Amantchi for the final minutes.
Oisin McEntee saw his name added to the referee's notebook, in the eighty-ninth minute, as he was cautioned for dissent.
Seven additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time, Walsall went close to restoring parity, as Adomah lofted a cross towards the back post for Amantchi, but the recent arrivals headed effort was easily gathered by Macey.
Four minutes into those added, United chose to make their second change of the afternoon, with Lyle Taylor making way for Tyreece Simpson.
Walsall created another chance to level the scores in the sixth of the added minutes, as Comley found space and fired goal-wards, but his powerful strike sailed over the crossbar.
Colchester chose to make two further changes in the final of the added minutes, with Teddy Bishop and Jack Payne making way for Arthur Read and Jack Tucker.
With ninety-nine minutes played, Tyreece Simpson joined the growing ranks listed in the referee's notebook, as he was cautioned for time-wasting.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the game was brought to its conclusion, with Colchester winning by two-goals-to-one.
| BISHOP (69') EDWARDS (74') |
LAKIN (65') |
| AT | JOBSERVE COMMUNITY STADIUM |
| REFEREE | LEE SWABEY |
