Walsall were back in Sky Bet League Two action on Saturday afternoon as they welcomed AFC Wimbledon to the Poundland Bescot Stadium.Wimbledon got the action underway, but it was Walsall who created the first chance of the afternoon, as five minutes into the contest David Okagbue headed the ball into the path of Charlie Lakin, but the number eight was unable to find the target as he sent the ball wide.
At the other end, Okagbue gifted Wimbledon a corner, ten minutes in, but nothing would come of the flag-kick.
Both sides enjoyed spells on the ball as the game continued, with neither able to create anything to really test their opposition defences.
The teams grew into the game as it continued, with Wimbledon creating their first chance of note, twenty-one minutes in, as Josh Neufville played in Marcus Browne, but the strikers effort failed to test Walsall shot-stopper, Sam Hornby, as it sailed wide of the upright.
Walsall had soon worked the ball up to the other end, where Nathan Asiimwe played a promising cross into the box, forcing a punched clearance from Wimbledon 'keeper, Owen Goodman, with Lakin picking up the loose ball before firing over.
Jamille Matt became the first player to see yellow, in the twenty-sixth minute, as he was cautioned following a foul on Ryan Johnson.
Hornby was called into action, in the thirty-third minute, as Alistair Smith played in Browne, but the 'keeper was alert to the danger and got out to block the effort, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
The visiting side continued to press, with Neufville playing in Browne again moments later, but the striker failed to test Hornby for a second time, sending the ball sailing over the crossbar.
Jake Reeves became the second player to be shown the yellow card, in the forty-first minute, as he was cautioned following a foul on Lakin.
The host won a free-kick moments later, but it came to nothing as Jamie Jellis' ball in was headed off-target by Matt.
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 Walsall got the action back underway. Wimbledon began the second-half brightly, with James Tilley breaking the ball just two minutes after the restart, before playing in Browne, who sent his effort narrowly wide of the near post.
Walsall felt they should have been awarded a penalty in the fifty-second minute, as a Johnson effort towards goal appeared to be handled inside the box, but the referee was unmoved by their appeals and play continued.
The hosts continued to enjoy a bright spell, with Lakin playing the ball in for Johnson, eight minutes into the half, but the strikers effort sailed wide of the target.
Unperturbed, the Saddlers continued to press, with Asiimwe playing in Lakin, in the fifty-fifth minute, but the midfielders headed effort was denied by Goodman, who palmed the ball clear.
Both teams chose to make their first change of the afternoon twenty minutes into the half, as Wimbledon replaced Mathew Stephens with Omar Bugiel, and Walsall's Charlie Lakin made way for George Hall.
Twenty minutes from time, Wimbledon opened the scoring, as Smith saw an effort saved by Hornby, before the recently introduced Bugiel fired home a follow-up effort from the edge of the box.
Walsall responded by making a double change to their line-up, four minutes after falling behind, with Danny Johnson and Jamille Matt making way for Albert Adomah and Levi Amantchi, as the hosts looked to get themselves back into the game.
Wimbledon chose to follow suit, making two further changes to their own line-up just two minutes after the Walsall changes were completed, with Marcus Browne and Riley Harbottle being replaced by Aron Sasu and Isaac Ogundere.
The Saddlers looked to get back on level terms, in the eighty-second minute, with Oisin McEntee crossing the ball in for Jellis, but Goodman was alert to the danger and got a hand to the ball to turn it away from goal, with Adomah's follow-up effort being deflected over the crossbar. The resulting corner coming to nothing.
That would prove to be Jamie Jellis' final contribution of the afternoon, as he was replaced by Evan Weir, in the eighty-third minute.
The Saddlers levelled the scores in the eighty-seventh minute, winning a free-kick in a dangerous position, as Reeves fouled Hall, with Taylor Allen who stepped forth to take the set-piece, curling the ball over the wall and into the top corner to secure his eighth goal of the season.
Isaac Ogundere joined those playing on a caution, in the eighty-eighth minute, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Liam Gordon.
Four additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time, Aron Sasu was shown the yellow card following a foul on Hornby, moments before Wimbledon opted to make their fourth change of the afternoon, as Callum Maycock was replaced by James Ball.
That would prove to be the final action of note, with the game being brought to its conclusion with the scores tied at one-goal-apiece. A nervy display at times, with the Saddlers seeing only one effort on target, but a point enough to see them remain atop the League Two table heading into Tuesday's match.
| ALLEN (87') | BUGIEL (70') |
| AT | BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | MATT CORLETT |
