John Ward's Walsall Development side were back in action on Tuesday evening as they travelled to Dales Lane and took on Rushall Olympic in Round One of this season's Staffordshire Senior Cup. You can read our brief Match Report below.
Brown; Webb, Adelekan, Duke, Ezewele, Hull, Dunkley, Fonovich, Dell, Walden, Valido Barai
Substitutes | Hill, Hancox, Landell, O'Neil-Martin, Wall
Substitutes | Hill, Hancox, Landell, O'Neil-Martin, Wall
L.Roberts; Tonks, Vann, K.Roberts; Oliver, Flanagan, Shorrock; Hayles-Docherty, Kouhyar, Ismail; Peters
Substitutes | Leivesley, Rogerson, Leak, Massamba, Mellon
Substitutes | Leivesley, Rogerson, Leak, Massamba, Mellon
John Ward named a balanced line-up on the evening with Sam Tonks, Dann Vann and Will Shorrock named alongside Reece Flanagan, Kory Roberts and on-loan Bury winger Zeli Ismail.
The Saddlers wasted little time at the start of the game and could've been ahead within just a few minutes of referee Jonathan Maskrey's whistle as Pics captain Joe Hull was forced to clear off the line from Zeli Ismail, who did well to cut inside and got his shot away.
Not long after injury forced Louis Ezewele to the sidelines the Pics almost opened the scoring as recent arrival Mattis Fonovich worked some space on the edge of the Saddlers' penalty area and crashed an effort of the bar, unlucky for the home side.
Shortly after Pics forward Dominic Dell saw an effort flash across the face of goal, the Saddlers took the lead as Tobias Hayles-Docherty cut inside from the left wing and sent a sweet effort over Rushall 'keeper Jonathan Brown.
Walsall doubled their lead shortly before half-time as Zeli Ismail broke from a Rushall corner and slipped the ball home.Some terrible defending during the build up to the goal, rightfully punished by the Saddlers.
The Pics could've halved the deficit before the break as Dominic Dell fired over the bar following Tristian Dunkley's cross. A chance going begging as the Saddlers reached half-time with a two-goal lead.
STAFFORDSHIRE SENIOR CUP | HT
Rushall 0 Walsall 2
Both Walsall Rushall made double substitutions at the break as Rory Oliver and Dan Vann were replaced by Sam Leivesley and Tom Leak for the Saddlers, while Andre Landell and Lewis Wall replaced AJ Adelekan and Rumenio Valdo-Barai for the Pics.
Rushall were dealt a blow just four minutes into the second-half as Will Hancox, who had replaced the injured Louis Ezewele in the first-half, was shown a straight red card for a foul on Hayles-Docherty. The Pics' chances of making a comeback severely dented so shortly after the restart.
The home side continued to search for a goal and, despite their one-man disadvantage - went close shortly before the game reached the hour mark as Danny Waldren headed the ball just past the post following Landell's cross. Close, but not close enough.
With around a quarter of the game remaining the Pics had a penalty claim denied as Joe Hull looked to have been felled inside the box, referee Maskrey unmoved as the game continued.
Former Wolves winger Zeli Ismail kept the Pics 'keeper alert shortly after the rejected penalty claim as he unleashed a powerful effort, a good stop from the man between the sticks as the score remained two-nil.
The Pics went down to ten men as the match neared the full-time whistle. Second-half sub Andre Landell hobbling off after a poor challenge.The home side had already used their allotted substitutions, not a great day at the office for the Dales Lane outfit.
Rushall remained resilient and continued to press as time ticked away. Mattis Fonovich trying to get his side back into the game with an overhead kick late on. Sadly for the pics Mattis failed to get a solid connection on the ball as his effort failed to reach the target.
Despite their two-man advantage, and comfortable half-time lead the Saddlers didn't add to their tally in the second-half as the game finished two-nil. John Ward's side will go on to face Hanley Town in Round Two of the competition.
STAFFORDSHIRE SENIOR CUP | FT
Rushall 0 Walsall 2
Hayles-Docherty (29'), Ismail (41')
REF | Jonathan MaskreyHayles-Docherty (29'), Ismail (41')