Walsall were back in action on Saturday afternoon as they played host to Bury in the Second Round of this season's Checkatrade Trophy. We were in attendance, and you can read our match report below.
Walsall XI | L.Roberts; Kinsella, Guthrie, K.Roberts, Leahy; Morris, Chambers, Flanagan; Kouhyar, Oztumer; T.Roberts
Substitutes | Gillespie; Devlin, Donnellan; Shorrock; Agyei, Bakayoko, Jackson
Substitutes | Gillespie; Devlin, Donnellan; Shorrock; Agyei, Bakayoko, Jackson
Bury XI | Fasan, Leigh, Tuttle, O'Connell, Ajose, Reilly, Edwards, O'Shea, Cameron, Smith, Ince
Substitutes | Maloney; Maguire, Williams, Aldred, Humphrey, Dobre, Styles
There was little action during the opening few minutes as both sides looked to settle into the game, but six minutes in Walsall should have opened the scoring with Erhun Oztumer almost slipping the ball through for Tyler Roberts, but the Bury defences stood firm and cleared the danger. A minute later, with the ball at the other end, Bury had more luck in front of goal, as Nicky Ajose attempted a twenty yard volley which beat Liam Roberts and nestled in the back of the net to give his side an early lead.
The Saddlers looked to get back on level terms quickly, and twelve minutes in almost did when Oztumer crossed the ball to Maz Kouhyar in the box, but Kouhyar's shot from six yards hit Kieron Morris on it's way through, allowing Bury to clear the danger.
The match became something of a midfield battle, with neither side able to create much going forward. It wasn't until the twenty third minute that there was another half-effort on goal, but Walsall captain, Adam Chambers' shot from the edge of the area sailed well wide of the Bury upright.
In the twenty seventh minute, Kory Roberts was called upon to block a driven effort from Jay O'Shea, turning the ball behind. The resulting corner was swung into the box by O'Shea, where it was met by the head of Bury captain, Nathan Cameron, but Liam Roberts was alert and claimed. Two minutes later, Liam Roberts was again called into action, making a superb with his leg save to prevent Ajose nicking a second goal from six yards.
The match continued to be predominantly contained within the midfield area, until the thirty fourth minute when Luke Leahy crossed a lovely ball in for Tyler Roberts, whose effort deflected off Eoghan O'Connell, allowing Bury 'keeper, Leo Fasan to gather.
With just four minutes of the first half remaining, the Saddlers should have found themselves on level terms, but Fasan was again on hand to deny them, preventing a goal-bound low effort from Morris finding the target with his legs.
One additional minute was added at the end of the half, and with mere seconds left to play, the Saddlers finally found the breakthrough, Oztumer drawing the sides level with a simple ten yard shot to finish off a neat move from Kouhyar and Tyler Roberts. A perfect time to score, with the sides heading into the break level.
The Saddlers looked to get back on level terms quickly, and twelve minutes in almost did when Oztumer crossed the ball to Maz Kouhyar in the box, but Kouhyar's shot from six yards hit Kieron Morris on it's way through, allowing Bury to clear the danger.
The match became something of a midfield battle, with neither side able to create much going forward. It wasn't until the twenty third minute that there was another half-effort on goal, but Walsall captain, Adam Chambers' shot from the edge of the area sailed well wide of the Bury upright.
In the twenty seventh minute, Kory Roberts was called upon to block a driven effort from Jay O'Shea, turning the ball behind. The resulting corner was swung into the box by O'Shea, where it was met by the head of Bury captain, Nathan Cameron, but Liam Roberts was alert and claimed. Two minutes later, Liam Roberts was again called into action, making a superb with his leg save to prevent Ajose nicking a second goal from six yards.
The match continued to be predominantly contained within the midfield area, until the thirty fourth minute when Luke Leahy crossed a lovely ball in for Tyler Roberts, whose effort deflected off Eoghan O'Connell, allowing Bury 'keeper, Leo Fasan to gather.
With just four minutes of the first half remaining, the Saddlers should have found themselves on level terms, but Fasan was again on hand to deny them, preventing a goal-bound low effort from Morris finding the target with his legs.
One additional minute was added at the end of the half, and with mere seconds left to play, the Saddlers finally found the breakthrough, Oztumer drawing the sides level with a simple ten yard shot to finish off a neat move from Kouhyar and Tyler Roberts. A perfect time to score, with the sides heading into the break level.
Checkatrade Trophy | HT
Walsall 1 Bury 1
The match got back underway with both sides unchanged, but there was little real action of note early on as both sides again took some time to get back into the game. It wasn't until almost ten minutes into the half that either side created anything, but after tricking his way through the Bury defences, Tyler Roberts saw his shot from an awkward angle easily saved by Fasan.
In the fifty sixth minute, Bury won a corner, which was swung into the box by O'Shea towards Cameron, but the Bury captains headed effort sailed wide of the upright without troubling the man between the sticks.
After missing a good chance to take the lead in the sixty second minute, when Morris' ball in was almost turned home, the Saddlers continued to press, but a swift counter-attack from the visitors in the sixty fifth minute saw Walsall fall behind for the second time in the game. A looping cross from Andrew Tutte finding Ajose who fired his side back into the lead, with a headed effort into the far corner.
Keen to get back into the game again, the Saddlers made their first change of the afternoon in the sixty ninth minute, replacing Maz Kouhyar with Amadou Bakayoko.
Moments after the change, it appeared that the visitors had extended their lead when an effort from Michael Smith was palmed clear by Liam Roberts into the path of Ajose who rounded Jon Guthrie and tapped home, but the striker was adjudged to have been in an offside position and the goal was disallowed.
With seventy two minutes on the clock, the Saddlers opted to make their second change of the afternoon, introducing Daniel Agyei into the fray in place of Reece Flanagan.
Both sides saw chances missed following the Walsall change, with Morris seeing a decent effort blocked by Phil Edwards, moments before a twenty yard effort from Callum Reilly sailed over the bar.
With just ten minutes of the match remaining, Amadou Bakayoko became the first player to receive a caution, picking up a yellow card for a foul.
In the eighty fourth minute, the Saddlers were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position. The ball was played in by Oztumer, but Guthrie's glancing touch turned it wide.
There was little further action as the game slipped away from Walsall. Three additional minutes were awarded, during which time Nicky Ajose was replaced by Chris Humphrey.
Walsall were unable to find a second goal as time ebbed away, and they slipped unceremoniously out of the Checkatrade Trophy. A disappointing result for the Saddlers, if only for the fact that it would have been good to continue to build upon the recent run of form.
Checkatrade Trophy | FT
Walsall 1 Bury 2
⚽ Oztumer (45+1') // Ajose (7', 65')ATTENDANCE | 1,065
REFEREE | Michael Salisbury (Lancashire)