Walsall were back in action on Friday afternoon as they welcomed Harrogate Town to the Poundland Bescot Stadium as they looked to earn what would be just a third win in eighteen games.Both sides took some time to settle into the game, but it was Walsall who enjoyed the better of the early chances, with a sixth minute cross into the box from George Hall just failing to find Connor Barrett at the back post, shortly before Harry Williams collected the ball following a Harrogate clearance and played it back into the danger zone for Jamie Jellis, whose header was met by Jamille Matt before Harrogate 'keeper, James Belshaw gathered.
The visiting side won a free-kick in a promising position, in the tenth minute, but nothing would come of the set-piece, as the ball was eventually put wide by the side.
The hosts were quick to work the ball back up to the other end, where they won a corner as Anthony O'Connor turned the ball behind, though nothing would come of the flag-kick as the ball in sailed wide.
With sixteen minutes on the clock, Walsall took the lead; a lovely ball from Ellis Harrison finding Barrett, who took the ball into the box before crossing towards goal, where O'Connor was waiting to clear but instead deflected into the back of his own net.
The Saddlers could have doubled their advantage just three minutes later, as Hall played the ball to Barrett, but his effort from outside the box was well saved by Belshaw.
Harrogate levelled the scores in the twenty-second minute, as Ellis Taylor drew a save from Walsall shot-stopper, Tommy Simkin, with Josh March able to fire the rebound home from a tight angle.
The visiting side could have taken the lead in the twenty-fifth minute, after winning a free-kick in a dangerous position, which was swung into the box only to be turned onto the post by Jack Muldoon before being cleared behind by Williams. The resulting corner ultimately coming to nothing, as James Daly fired wide.
There was a brief halt to proceedings as we reached the half hour mark, allowing Simkin to receive attention from the Walsall medics, but he was soon back on his feet and able to continue.
Jasper Moon became the first player to see yellow, in the thirty-fourth minute, as he was cautioned following a foul on Harrison.
Bryant Akono Bilongo became the second player to find himself playing on a caution, as he joined Moon in the referee's notebook in the thirty-seventh minute for a foul on Hall.
The Saddlers felt they should have been awarded a penalty in the thirty-eighth minute, as Matt was pulled down inside the box, but the referee was unmoved by their appeals and instead the side won a corner, which came to nothing.
Ellis Taylor became the third Harrogate player to see yellow, as his name was added to the referee's notebook in the forty-third minute, after fouling Jellis.
Three additional minutes were added to end the first-half, but neither side were able to add to their tally, and the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with the scores tied at one-goal-apiece.
The teams returned unchanged following the break, and play resumed. Walsall began the second-half brightly, with Liam Gordon firing a low effort goal-wards just one minute after the restart, with Belshaw able to clear only as far as Matt, whose strike was saved by the Harrogate shot-stopper.
Harrogate were quick to work the ball up to the other end, where March fired wide. The visiting side continued to press, with Muldoon firing wide from distance moments later.
Ben Fox joined those playing on a caution, in the fifty-first minute, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Hall.
Things settled a little as play continued, but Town went close to adding a second in the fifty-seventh minute, as a long throw found the head of Bilongo, who in turn found March whose header goal-wards sailed inches wide of the upright from close range.
With sixty-two minutes on the clock, Harrogate took the lead, as a long throw from Toby Sims eventually found its way to Ellis, who fired home from the edge of the area, with the aide of a deflection.
Walsall won a free-kick in a promising position, two minutes later, as they looked to get back on level terms, but Harrison was unable to find the target as he got on the end of a Jellis ball in.
That would prove to be Ellis Harrison's final involvement of note, as the Saddlers chose to make their first change of the afternoon in the sixty-sixth minute, replacing him with Levi Amantchi.
The hosts found themselves in shooting range again, in the sixty-ninth minute, as Allen crossed the ball in for Matt, who headed goal-wards from the centre of the box, but saw his effort sail narrowly wide of the target.
Walsall remained in the game, thanks to a fine save from Simkin, in the seventy-first minute, as the 'keeper emerged to deny Sims, who looked certain to score.
Town went close again, in the seventy-fourth minute, as Taylor fired goal-wards from outside the box, but Simkin was alert to the danger and managed to get enough on the ball to keep it out, before March turned his follow-up effort wide.
Walsall chose to make a triple change, twelve minutes from time, with Connor Barrett, Jamie Jellis and George Hall making way as their places were filled by Nathan Asiimwe, Alfie Chang and Albert Adomah.
Alfie Chang became the first Walsall player to see yellow, in the eighty-fourth minute, as he was cautioned following a foul on Daly.
Two minutes from time, Gordon levelled the scores for the Saddlers, as Matt combined with Ryan Stirk to work the ball out to the number three, who fired into the bottom corner.
Harrogate responded to the goal by making their first change of the afternoon, with Bryant Akono Bilongo making way for Zico Asare as we reached the ninetieth minute.
Four additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time Ryan Stirk saw his name added to the referee's notebook, as he was shown the yellow card for a foul on March.
Walsall saw much of the ball in the closing minutes, winning several corners, all of which came to nothing. They were unable to find a late winner, though, and the referee called time on the game, with the sides taking one-point-apiece from the contest.
| O'CONNOR [OG] (16') L. GORDON (88') |
MARCH (22') TAYLOR (62') |
| AT | BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | SCOTT SIMPSON |
