John Ward's Walsall Development were back in action on Tuesday afternoon as they travelled North to face Rotherham United for the latest Central League Cup - Northern Group 3 fixture of the season. You can read our brief Match Report below.
Rotherham Unted XI | Bilboe; Mattock, Warren, Onariase, Wiles, Mamboti-Mvumbi, Bray, Breeden, Woodcock, Yates, Muskwe
Substitutes | Gratton, Diouf
Substitutes | Gratton, Diouf
Walsall XI | Dawe; Willis, Friel, Bates, Leievesley, Leak, Parker, O'Sullivan, Cairns, K.Flanagan, Massamba
Substitutes | Rodgerson, Ruddock, McSkeane
Substitutes | Rodgerson, Ruddock, McSkeane
Ahead of kick-off the the Saddlers had already played two games in the CLC, and were yet to earn a victory as they have collected just one point and were keen to takesomething fromtheir trip to the Millers' Roundwood training complex.
Rotherham had won one and lost one of their two games and were keen to secure all three points as they look to overtake current table-toppers Port Vale, who were not scheduled to be in action.
The Millers started the game strongly, creating a couple of openings and forcing a corner within a couple of minutes of kick-off.
The home side would go on to break the deadlock after six minutes of play as Kuda Muskwe cut inside and sent a shot under Saddlers stopper Ethan Dawe. The young 'keeper will be disappointed to see the ball slip under him as the hosts took the lead.
Walsall's best chance in the early goings fell to Debert Massamba who twisted and turned his marker before breaking into the box. His cross-come-shot was not much of a test for Laurence Bilboe, who gathered to bring the attack to an end.
Rotherham continued to look for a second and pushed the Saddlers back for much of the half. The visitors' next real opening arriving just after the thirty-minute mark as Dan O'Sullivan's free-kick was met by the head of Dylan Parker. Bilboe alert to gather as the home side remained in the lead.
Parker had another chance to level the scores with just over four minutes of the half remaining as he raced behind the Millers' backline and chipped the ball over Bilboe who had rushed off his line. Sadly for the Saddlers Parker's effort drifted agonisingly past the post.
Our hosts doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time as Jerry Yates sent a low effort past Dawe. Ben Wiles with a neat pass to find Yates in space.
Central League Cup | HT
Rotherham United 2 Walsall 0
The second-half started in similar fashion to the first as our hosts looked to add to their lead.
First-half substitute Moussa Diouf, who had replaced an injured Alex Bray midway through the opening half, replicated Dylan Parker's effort by beating the backline and lifting the ball over an onrushing Ethan Dawe, his shot not troubling the scorers as the ball drifted past the post.
After seeing a couple of efforts thwarted by some solid Saddlers defending, the Millers forced Dawe into another save after seventy minutes as Ben Wiles tried his luck from distance. Dawe doing well to backtrack and tip the ball over the bar.
Wiles would go on to create another couple of opportunities as he looked to extend his side's lead. Firstly, he sent an effort wide of goal after beating several defenders to send the ball just past the post. Then he floated in a nice free-kick which Muskwe lifted just over the bar.
The Saddlers had a chance to halve the deficit late on as substitute Tyreece Ruddock beat the offside trap and go one-on-one with 'keeper Bilboe, the stopper standing firm to deny the youngster with an excellent save.
The match would end soon after and see the Millers take all three points. A victory which takes Rotherham to the top of the group.
Central League Cup | FT
Rotherham United 2 Walsall 0
⚽ | Muskwe (6'), Yates (45')