Match Report: Wolves U23s 0 Walsall 0 Match Report: Wolves U23s 0 Walsall 0

Match Report: Wolves U23s 0 Walsall 0

The Saddlers continued their pre-season preparations as they made the short trip to Lilleshall to take on Wolves' Under-23s.
The Saddlers opened their campaign with a two-nil defeat to Crewe Alexandra at the weekend and went into Tuesday's match in search of more fitness ahead of September's 2020/21 kick-off.

Walsall manager Darrell Clarke named a competitive team for the match with Liam Roberts remaining between the sticks whilst Joe Foulkes, James Clarke, Mat Sadler and Callum Cockerill-Mollett making up the back line.

Sam Perry, Alfie Bates and Liam Kinsella were in midfield with Jack Nolan, Caolan Lavery and Wes McDonald taking up attacking positions as they looked to secure as many match minutes as possible heading into the new campaign.

The Saddlers' bench saw Cameron Norman, Dan Scarr, Zak Jules, Jayden Campbell, Joe Willis, Stuart Sinclair, Rory Holden and Josh Gordon joined by a trio of yet-to-be-identified trialists.

As the match was being played behind closed doors due to the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak, details of the contest were somewhat slim with both teams preparing for the upcoming campaign and taking the opportunity to consider their options.

The Saddlers started the game brightly and looked the more threatening of the two teams in the early stages of the contest with the Reds looking to keep their sheet clean following the defeat at the weekend.

The first chance of note arrived mid-way through the first-half as former Reading winger Jack Nolan, who is looking to make a bigger impact after making four first-team appearances last season, forced the Wolves 'keeper into a save with a curling effort from the right wing.

Saddlers stopper Liam Roberts had to be alert as the half went on with the Walsall-born stopper doing well to tip a powerful effort over the bar around ten minutes before the break.

The Saddlers went into half-time on top and almost opened the scoring deep into added time as winger Wes McDonald forcing a save with a low driven effort to give his manager plenty of positives to take into the break.

WOLVES
0 - 0
WALSALL

Saddlers manager Darrell Clarke made a trio of changes at the break with Liam Roberts, James Clarke and Sam Perry being replaced by three members of the ever-present Trialist family namely A, B and C.

Walsall's first opening of the second forty-five arrived via a Jack Nolan free-kick as his whipped cross towards the back post was met by Trialist B who could only send the ball wide of goal with a header.

The gaffer was soon back on the touchline as he made a host of changes with Foulkes, Sadler, Cockerill-Mollett, Nolan, McDonald, Kinsella, Bates and Lavery being replaced by Cameron Norman, Dan Scarr, Zak Jules, Jayden Campbell, Joe Willis, Stuart Sinclair, Rory Holden and Josh Gordon.

The Saddlers continued in their search for an opening goal and went close via second-half sub Norman as he sent in a powerful effort which took a slight deflection which saw the ball edge wide of goal.

Despite their best efforts neither side was able to hit the back of the net although both managers got a look at more of their squad ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.

WOLVES
0 - 0
WALSALL
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