Playing host to Bristol Rovers in the First Round of this season's Emirates FA Cup, Darrell Clarke's Saddlers were looking to build upon their midweek League Two triumph over Crawley Town as they welcomed the Pirates to WS1.
The first goal of the game went Bristol Rovers' way and arrived via the head of Jack Baldwin as he slotted home after thirty-three minutes of the first-half, following a well-placed and poorly dealt with corner kick.
Walsall's woes didn't end there however, as Brandon Hanlan doubled his side's lead seven minutes from the break as, after finding some space on the edge of the area, he curled an effort past Liam Roberts to add to his side's lead.
The Saddlers were on top for much of the second-half and were able to take at least something from the game as Caolan Lavery headed the ball home from a free-kick, the striker grabbing his fourth goal of the season.
EMIRATES FA CUP - FIRST ROUND
|
WALSALL
|
1 - 2
|
ROVERS
|
Lavery (87') |
Baldwin (33') Hanlan (39')
|
52
|
POSS. (%)
|
48
|
15
|
SHOTS
|
6
|
6
|
AT GOAL
|
2
|
10
|
CORNERS
|
4
|
8
|
FOULS
|
12
|
1
|
BOOKED
|
2
|
0
|
SENT OFF
|
0
|
VENUE
|
Banks's Stadium
|
REFEREE
|
Ross Joyce
|
WALSALL
Roberts; Norman, Scarr, Sadler (Cockerill-Mollett, 58'), Jules 🟨; Holden, Kinsella, Sinclair (Bates, 58'), McDonald; Lavery, Adebayo (Scrimshaw, 63')
Unused: Rose; White, Osadebe; George
BRISTOL ROVERS
Jaakkola 🟨; Ehmer, Upson (Liddle, 74'), Westbrooke (Grant, 87'), Hanlan, Nicholson (Hare, 76'), McCormick, Kilgour 🟨, Baldwin, Oztumer, Koiki
Unused: Van Stappershoef, Leahy, Daly, Mitchell-Lawson