The Saddlers were back in action on Saturday afternoon as they looked to earn a first win in thirteen games when they welcomed Accrington Stanley to the Poundland Bescot Stadium.Accrington Stanley got the action underway, and three minutes in, the visiting side won the first corner of the game, as Alfie Chang turned the ball out of play, but nothing would come of the flag-kick.
Just two minutes later, Walsall won a corner at the other end, as Benn Ward put the ball behind, but again, nothing would come of the set-piece.
Another Saddlers flag-kick followed three minutes later, conceded by Devon Matthews, but the side were again unable to find the target as Taylor Allen's ball in connected with the far post.
Things settled a little as play continued, but as we reached the quarter hour mark, a some good play from Jamille Matt set up Albert Adomah, whose effort on goal also found the far post.
The Saddlers continued to press, with Harry Williams crossing onto the head of David Okagbue, moments later, but the defender was unable to find the target.
The game settled into something of a midfield battle as it continued, with Walsall continuing to see much of the ball, whilst struggling to create anything to further test the Stanley defences, although Oisin McEntee found himself with space to shoot, in the thirtieth minute, but his effort sailed wide of the near post.
With thirty-three minutes on the clock, rather against the run of play, Accrington found the breakthrough, as the Saddlers failed to clear a long through, allowing Ben Woods to collect the ball and fire home from some twenty-five yards out.
Walsall looked to respond quickly to falling a goal behind, with Matt setting up Chang, in the thirty-sixth minute, but the midfielders effort deflected narrowly over the crossbar, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
The Saddlers went close again, in the forty-first minute, as Kelly failed to clear a long throw from Williams, allowing Chang a shot on goal, but his effort sailed over the crossbar.
One additional minute was added to end the first-half, during which time McEntee worked the ball onto the head of Hall, but his downward header sailed inches wide of the target.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments, with Accrington leading by one-goal-to-nil.
The teams returned unchanged following the break, and Walsall got the action back underway. The Saddlers began the second-half brightly, with Chang seeing an effort from distance saved by Kelly, just three minutes after the restart.
Things settled a little as play continued, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball without creating anything of note.
Albert Adomah became the first player to see yellow, in the fifty-ninth minute, as Joe O'Brien-Whitmarsh was also cautioned, from the bench, as the two got into an argument.
Accrington opted to make their first change of the afternoon, in the sixty-third minute, with Benn Ward making way for Seb Quirk.
Walsall made a double change to their line-up, just three minutes later, as George Hall and Jamille Matt made way for Levi Amantchi and Jamie Jellis.
The hosts went close to levelling the scores, in the sixty-seventh minute, as Nathan Asiimwe crossed the ball towards the near post, where it eventually fell to Amantchi, but the recently introduced man was unable to beat Kelly with his headed effort.
A triple change followed for the Saddlers, in the seventy-second minute, with Alfie Chang, Oisin McEntee and Liam Gordon were replaced by Ryan Stirk, Ellis Harrison and Connor Barrett.
Accrington almost doubled their advantage, moments after the changes were completed, as they worked a corner to Conor Grant, who fired a curling effort towards the top corner, forcing Walsall shot-stopper, Tommy Simkin, to make a superb fingertip save to deny him.
Tyler Walton saw his name taken by the referee, in the seventy-sixth minute, as he was cautioned following a foul on Williams.
Walsall were reduced to ten men, in the seventy-eighth minute, just six minutes after his introduction into the game, following a high tackle on Liam Coyle.
Despite being a man down, the hosts continued to seek a route back into the game, with Jellis firing narrowly wide from outside the area, in the eightieth minute.
Liam Coyle joined those playing on a caution, in the eighty-second minute, as he was booked following a foul on Allen.
The final ten minutes were a rather quiet affair, with Walsall continuing to see much of the ball, but failing to find a way through the Accrington defences.
Six additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time, Accrington chose to make their second change of the afternoon, with Shaun Whalley making way for Joe O'Brien-Whitmarsh.
The Saddlers sought a late equaliser as play continued, with Williams playing the ball onto the head of Allen, two minutes into added time, but the midfielder was unable to find the target, sending his effort wide.
Josh Woods joined those playing on a yellow, in the ninety-second minute, as he was cautioned for time-wasting.
Stanley chose to make their third change of the game, in the ninety-third minute, as Tyler Walton made way for Kelsey Mooney.
Jamie Jellis picked up a caution, five minutes into time added, as he was booked for dissent.
That would prove to be the final action of note, with the referee calling time on the contest with Accrington Stanley winning by one-goal-to-nil.
| B. WOODS (33') | |
| AT | BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | ALEX CHILOWICZ |
