YOUTH ALLIANCE | Walsall 3 Fleetwood Town 3 YOUTH ALLIANCE | Walsall 3 Fleetwood Town 3

YOUTH ALLIANCE | Walsall 3 Fleetwood Town 3

On Saturday afternoon Graham Biggs' Walsall Under 18s side returned to action as they played host to Fleetwood Town 18s in the latest EFL Youth Alliance (North West) fixture of the season.
On Saturday afternoon Graham Biggs' Walsall Under 18s side returned to action as they played host to Fleetwood Town 18s in the latest EFL Youth Alliance (North West) fixture of the season.

WALSALL TEAM TO PLAY FLEETWOOD TOWN
STARTING XI | Ganley, Tonks, Cockerill-Mollett, Cela, Vann, Kendrick, Hayles-Docherty, Maddocks, Peters, Shorrock, Freemantle

SUBSTITUTES | Caswell; Fisher, Cairns, Candlin

Walsall, who had a weekend off as last Saturday's clash with Rochdale was postponed due to the weather, arrived at today's game in top form, sitting in first position in the table having won nine of their twelve games.

Fleetwood however, had been in terrible form and arrived at the game on the back of a disappointing 4-1 defeat to Morecambe, the result keeping the Cod Army near the foot of the table.

Despite the clear differences in form, it was our opponents who took the lead, as, with nine minutes on the clock, Daniel Mooney finished off a swift counter attack, slotting the ball past Brad Ganley in the Walsall goal. Unlucky for the Saddlers as they had struck the crossbar just moments earlier.

The young Saddlers would go on to level the scores midway through the first half as the in-form Tobias Hayles-Docherty latched on to Cameron Peters' through ball to slip the ball past Billy Crellin, another goal for Tobias, who continues to impress.

Sadly for the Saddlers, Fleetwood got themselves back into the lead with a couple of minutes of the first-half remaining, as Sam Tonks fouled Mooney inside the area, earning himself a booking and gifting the Cod Army a penalty, in the process.

Fleetwood subsequently converted their spot-kick via Mooney who doubled his tally, slipping the ball past Ganley who got a hand to the effort but couldn't stop it going over the line.

Walsall levelled the scores twenty-minutes into the second half as second-half substitute Stefan Mason crashed the ball home with a volley which deflected off the post. The move had started with a neat through ball which was delivered by Cameron Peters.

The Saddlers took the lead just a few minutes later as Shorrock finished off a move which began with Ashley Maddocks taking a quick free-kick, finding Mason who fed Shorrock, the forward sent the ball past the 'keeper as the Fleetwood defence scrambled to clear.

The goals continued as Fleetwood were awarded a free kick following Dann Vann's foul on Mooney. Town would make the most of their opportunity as Lewis Shorrock curled a free kick into the back of the net.

Both sides had chances to further the scoring, as Fleetwood saw an effort go over the bar and Walsall had efforts blocked by the post and several desperate defenders, but neither could capitalise as the match ended all-square.

This was a superb display of attacking football, several fine goals and plenty of well-crafted moves, a great example of the quality at this level of the game.

EFL YOUTH ALLIANCE (NORTH WEST) | RESULT
WALSALL 3 FLEETWOOD TOWN 3
GOALS | Hayles-Docherty (25'), Mason (65'), W.Shorrock (69') - Mooney (9', PEN 42'), L.Shorrock (72')
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