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Walsall were looking to make it two wins in as many games as they made their way to the Mazuma Mobile Stadium, where they were due to take on Morecambe.Walsall began the game brightly, winning a throw in just two minutes into the contest, with Jamie Jellis' long throw being cleared by the Morecambe defences only as far as Ryan Stirk, whose effort on goal from the edge of the area struck Jamille Matt on its way through and sailed wide.
The teams took some time to settle into the game after that, but the Saddlers did win a corner eight minutes in, as Luke Hendrie turned the ball behind, but nothing would come of the flag-kick.
Morecambe created their first chance of the afternoon in the tenth minute, as Hendrie crossed the ball into the area for Marcus Dackers who knocked it on to Andy Dallas, whose headed effort sailed narrowly over the crossbar.
Walsall soon had the ball back at the other end, where Ellis Harrison crossed it into the box for Liam Gordon, but the effort on goal sailed wide; a move which was replicated by the duo just three minutes later as the Saddlers continued to seek an early goal.
The hosts won a corner, twenty minutes in, as Connor Barrett turned the ball out of play, but nothing would come of it.
A Walsall flag-kick followed at the other end moments later, as the sides battled the windy conditions, but that would also come to nothing as the ball was eventually worked to Taylor Allen who fired over from outside the area.
The Saddlers won another corner just three minutes later, which was turned behind for a second, but the ball was eventually cleared by the Morecambe defences.
The visiting side continued to press, with Jellis finding space to shoot from distance, in the thirty-third minute, but his effort failed to trouble Morecambe shot-stopper, Harry Burgoyne, as it sailed high and wide of the target.
Morecambe went close in the thirty-fourth minute, as Dackers flicked a header on for Lee Angol, but his effort from a tight angle sailed narrowly over the crossbar.
The hosts continued to enjoy a bright spell, winning a corner moments later, as Stirk turned the ball out of play, but the flag-kick failed to result in a goal as Angol fired over.
Things settled as the game continued, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball, with neither able to create anything further to trouble either goalkeeper, although Walsall shot-stopper, Tommy Simkin, did make an easy save to deny Dackers, in the forty-second minute.
There was little further action of note before the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with the scores unchanged.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and the action resumed. Morecambe started the second-half brightly, with Hendrie playing the ball into the box for Angol, just three minutes in, but the strikers headed effort sailed wide of the target.
Walsall felt they should have been awarded a penalty at the other end, just one minute later, as Harrison went down inside the box under a challenge from Rhys Williams, but the referee was unmoved by their appeals and waved play on.
Rhys Williams was shown the red card, and dismissed from the game, just five minutes into the second-half, after pulling down Jellis as he threatened to break through on goal.
Morecambe responded to the dismissal by making their first change of the afternoon, with Andy Dallas making way for Jamie Stott.
Allen eventually stepped forth to take the resulting free-kick, and whipped his effort over the wall and his team into the lead, as the ball sailed in off the post.
Things settled after that, with both sides enjoying time on the ball without creating much to trouble their opposition defences.
Morecambe opted to make three further changes to their line-up, in the sixty-eighth minute, with Luke Hendrie, Lee Angol and David Tutonda making way for Callum Cooke, Gerard Garner and Adam Lewis.
Walsall chose to make their first changes of the afternoon, in the seventy-second minute, with Ellis Harrison and Jamille Matt being replaced by Levi Amantchi and Albert Adomah.
The hosts looked to level the scores, fifteen minutes from time, as Adam Lewis crossed the ball in for Dackers, but the striker was unable to keep his headed effort down.
Morecambe continued to enjoy a good spell of pressure, but the Walsall defences stood firm to deny them further chances on goal.
The visitors were eventually able to clear the danger, working the ball up to the other end, where it eventually fell to Gordon who drew a fine save from Burgoyne, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
The two Walsall substitutes combined well in the eighty-first minute, but after getting on the end of a cross into the box from Adomah, Amantchi sent his headed effort sailing wide of the target.
The Saddlers continued to enjoy a good spell, but failed to work the ball back into position to test the Morecambe 'keeper.
Morecambe chose to make their final change of the afternoon, in the eighty-sixth minute, with Paul Lewis making way for Gwion Edwards.
Walsall doubled their advantage in the eighty-seventh minute, as Stirk crossed the ball to Jellis on the edge of the area, with the midfielder setting himself before firing home.
The visiting side continued to press, winning a corner in the eighty-ninth minute, but the ball in from Jellis was long and avoided his teammates.
Six additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time Walsall chose to make two late changes to their line-up, with Liam Gordon and Connor Barrett making way for Evan Weir and Charlton Athletic loanee, Nathan Asiimwe.
Morecambe could have pulled a goal back in the sixth of the added minutes, as they were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the area, but Lewis was unable to beat the wall with his ball in, and the game was brought to its conclusion with Walsall winning by two-goals-to-nil.
| JELLIS (53') ALLEN (87') |
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| AT | MAZUMA MOBILE STADIUM |
| REFEREE | BENJAMIN SPEEDIE |
