Earlier today, Walsall Football Club's Reserves took on Shrewsbury Town Reserves in the latest Final Third Development League (West) fixture of the season.
WALSALL XI | Roberts; Kinsella, Henry, Preston, K.Rowley, Flanagan, Mantom, Baxendale, Murphy; Bradshaw, Bakayoko
SUBS | Caswell; Kouhyar, K.Roberts, L.Rowley, Oliver
SHREWS XI | Burton, Patterson, Demetriou, McKnight, Grogan, Tootle, Caton, E.Jones, Akpa Akpro, Barnett, Roberts
SUBS | Sears, Hughes, Wilson
It was the Shrews that got the game underway, and they also opened the scoring, as Akpa Akpro headed the ball into the net following a Barnett flick. A dangerous cross from Tootle gifting his teammates the opportunity.
Walsall levelled the scores with around fifteen minutes on the clock, Tom Bradshaw held the ball up well as Reece Flanagan found space to receive the pass, he drilled the ball home from the edge of the area, a nice move from the Saddlers.
Shrewsbury regained their lead with a third of the half remaining as Mickey Demetriou headed home from a James Caton corner, the Saddlers failing to deal with the danger.
Before half time Walsall would again levelled the scores, as Tom Bradshaw, who looks set to start this weekend's Emirates FA Cup Third Round clash with Brentford, flicked the ball home from a James Baxendale corner.
Walsall levelled the scores with around fifteen minutes on the clock, Tom Bradshaw held the ball up well as Reece Flanagan found space to receive the pass, he drilled the ball home from the edge of the area, a nice move from the Saddlers.
Shrewsbury regained their lead with a third of the half remaining as Mickey Demetriou headed home from a James Caton corner, the Saddlers failing to deal with the danger.
Before half time Walsall would again levelled the scores, as Tom Bradshaw, who looks set to start this weekend's Emirates FA Cup Third Round clash with Brentford, flicked the ball home from a James Baxendale corner.
FINAL THIRD DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE (WEST) | HALF TIME
WALSALL RES. 2 SHREWSBURY TOWN RES. 2
Ahead of kick off for the second half, Walsall made a trio of changes as Rico Henry, Sam Mantom and Tom Bradshaw all made way for Kory Roberts, Maziar Kouhyar and Levi Rowley.
The Shrews almost retook the lead after five minutes of play as Akpa Akpro was denied at the near post from a flicked on Tootle free kick.
Akpa Akpro was again in on goal a few minutes later, he got the wrong side of his marker following a long ball by Demetriou, sadly, for the Shrews, his attempted lob drifted wide of goal as the scores remained level.
The Saddlers also sought to get the ball into the final third. Bakayoko was caught offside following a good pass by Kouhyar. Much of the second half was consigned to midfield as both sides battled it out for possession.
Shrewsbury got back into the lead just after the hour mark as Barnett sent the ball past Walsall's Liam Roberts following a James Caton pass, the ball heading into the left corner as Barnett and his teammates celebrated.
Walsall almost levelled the scores as Matt Preston got on the end of a corner, the hard-hitting defender had got his side on the attack as he quelled a Shrews attack just moments earlier.
Shrewsbury extended their lead with around ten minutes of the match remaining as Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro ran the length of Walsall's half and slotted the ball home in to the top left corner.
Callum Grogan further extended the Shrews' lead just minutes later as he lost his marker and found the space to head the ball past Liam Roberts from a Caton corner. Not the greatest second half for the Saddlers.
FINAL THIRD DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE (WEST) | RESULT
WALSALL RES. 2 SHREWSBURY TOWN RES. 5
GOALS | Flanagan, Bradshaw -- Akpa Akpro (2), M.Demetriou, Barnett, Grogan
GOALS | Flanagan, Bradshaw -- Akpa Akpro (2), M.Demetriou, Barnett, Grogan