Walsall welcomed Grimsby Town to the Poundland Bescot Stadium on Saturday afternoon as they met in a televised Sky Bet League Two clash.Grimsby began the game brightly, winning a corner just four minutes into the contest as Connor Barrett deflected an early Denver Hume effort behind. The ball in from Hume found Kieran Green, whose headed effort was blocked by Harry Williams.
Walsall had soon worked the ball up to the other end, creating their first chance of the game as Ryan Stirk took the ball from Evan Khouri and passed to Albert Adomah, who played it through into the path of Ellis Harrison, who fired home into the bottom corner to open the scoring.
The visiting side looked to respond to falling a goal behind, and won a second corner in the eleventh minute, as Williams turned the ball out of play. The ball into the box from George McEachran looked good, but Walsall shot-stopper, Tommy Simkin was well positioned to claim.
The Saddlers soon had the ball back at the other end, where Taylor Allen looked to find the target from distance, but his effort was put behind for a corner, which came to nothing.
Town tested Simkin again, in the sixteenth minute, as Danny Rose found space to shoot, but David Okagbue was on hand to block the effort, with the ball falling back to the striker, whose second effort on goal was comfortably saved by the man between the sticks.
Grimsby levelled the scores in the twenty-first minute, after winning a free-kick, which Jason Svanthórsson played to Jayden Luker in space on the edge of the area, with the striker firing through a crowded box and into the bottom corner.
The visiting side continued to enjoy a bright spell, winning another free-kick, three minutes later, which Hume crossed into the box for Cameron McJannet, whose header goal-wards sailed narrowly wide of the target.
Ryan Stirk became the first player to draw the attentions of the referee, as he was cautioned following a foul on Luker, in the twenty-ninth minute.
Walsall won a corner in the thirty-second minute, as Adomah looked to restore his sides earlier lead, with the visitors able to clear, but the flag-kick came to nothing.
There was a brief halt to proceedings in the thirty-third minute, allowing Jamie Jellis to receive some attention from the Walsall medical team, but he was soon patched up and play resumed.
Walsall saw much of the ball as play continued, though their forays forwards were thwarted by the Grimsby defences.
The hosts were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position, in the thirty-seventh minute, as Harrison was fouled by Rose, but Allen played the ball short to Jellis, whose low effort failed to beat the first man.
There was another pause in play, in the thirty-ninth minute, allowing Lewis Cass to receive treatment from the Grimsby medics, but it was soon determined that he would be unable to continue, and his place was filled by Tyrell Warren.
Warren was quick to get involved in the action, and won a penalty for his side, in the forty-fourth minute, as he drew a foul from Allen inside the area. Rose stepped forth to take the spot-kick, and duly converted to put his side ahead.
The visiting side continued to seek further goals as play continued, with Luker playing in Green, in the forty-fifth minute, but he was unable to find the target as he fired over.
Four additional minutes were added to end the first-half, during which time, Tyrell Warren became the second player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul on Charlie Lakin.
The Saddlers won a corner moments before the break, but nothing would come of the flag-kick and the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with Grimsby leading by two-goals-to-one.
Walsall boss Mat Sadler chose to make a double change to their line-up, as the teams returned, with Charlie Lakin and Albert Adomah sitting out the second-half, as Oisin McEntee and Jamille Matt took their place.
The Saddlers began the second-half brightly, with a long throw from Williams finding Stirk with space to shoot, in the forty-seventh minute, but the midfielder was unable to beat Grimsby 'keeper, Jordan Wright.
Town almost added to their tally, in the fifty-second minute, as Luker played the ball through to an unmarked McEachran, but the midfielder's tame effort was easily saved by Simkin.
The Saddlers soon had the ball in the danger zone at the other end, but Jellis' effort sailed narrowly over the crossbar.
Oisin McEntee joined those playing on a caution, in the sixty-third minute, as he was cautioned for dissent, after questioning the referee's decision making.
Grimsby all but put the game to bed in the sixty-sixth minute, as Green played the ball through for Luker, who fired home from close range. Jayden Luker was then shown the yellow card, as he was cautioned for over celebrating the goal.
Walsall chose to make their three remaining changes, in the sixty-seventh minute, with Jamie Jellis, Ryan Stirk and Ellis Harrison departed in favour of Evan Weir, Brandon Comley and Danny Johnson.
Twenty minutes from time, Grimsby opted to make their second change of the afternoon, as George McEachran was replaced by Curtis Thompson.
Jason Svanthórsson saw his name added to the referee's notebook, in the seventy-fifth minute, as he was booked following a foul on Liam Gordon.
Grimsby could have further added to their tally, in the seventy-seventh minute, as Khouri played the ball through for Hume, but the midfielders effort sailed high and wide of the target.
Things remained settled as the game continued, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball without creating anything to test their opposition defences.
Town opted to use their remaining substitutions in the eighty-third minute, with Jayden Luker, Kieran Green and Jason Svanthórsson making way for Luca Barrington, Darragh Burns and Callum Ainley.
Connor Barrett was shown the yellow card, five minutes from time, as he was booked following a coming together with Khouri.
Walsall won a corner, in the eighty-seventh minute, as Hume turned the ball behind, but nothing would come of the flag-kick, as the ball in was easily gathered by Wright.
Six additional minutes were added to end the match, but there was little further action of note, and the game was brought to its conclusion with Grimsby winning by three-goals-to-one. A lacklustre performance from the Saddlers.
| HARRISON (6') |
LUKER (21') ROSE )P, 44') LUKER (55') |
| AT | BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | SAM PURKISS |
