After last weekend's fixtures were postponed as a mark of respect for Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, Walsall returned to action on Tuesday evening as they welcomed Colchester United to Poundland Bescot Stadium.
An impeccably observed minute of silence was held, before the national anthem rang out around the Poundland Bescot Stadium, ahead of kick-off.
Just two minutes after the game began, Colchester United's, Frank Nouble opened the scoring, as he collected a long cross over the top from Beryly Lubala and poked the ball past Walsall shot-stopper, Owen Evans.
Walsall created an opportunity to level the scores in the sixth minute, as Liam Kinsella crossed the ball in for Brandon Comley, whose effort from outside the box, sailed narrowly over the crossbar.
Colchester were awarded a free-kick in the seventh minute, which Alan Judge crossed onto the head of Luke Chambers, but the United captain was unable to keep his headed effort on target.
The game settled into something of a midfield battle as it continued, with both teams seeing plenty of the ball, without creating much to trouble their opposition defences.
With sixteen minutes on the clock, Brandon Comley became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned for a foul on Cameron Coxe.
In the twenty-first minute, Isaac Hutchinson joined Comley listed in the referee's notebook, as he too received a caution following a foul on Coxe.
A further caution followed just one minute later, as Kwesi Appiah was booked for a foul on Tom Knowles.
Colchester went close to doubling their advantage in the twenty-seventh minute, as Coxe played the ball onto the head of Luke Chambers, but the defender's effort on goal sailed narrowly wide.
As we reached the half-hour mark, the yellow card was brandished for a fourth time, as Tom Eastman saw his name taken following a foul on Comley.
Colchester saw much of the ball as the game continued, though they were unable to find a way through the Walsall defences, with much of their play confined to the midfield area.
Forty-four minutes into the contest, Cameron Coxe became the fifth and final person to see yellow during the first-half, as he was cautioned for time wasting.
Three additional minutes were added to end the first-half, but there was little further action of note, and the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments, with Colchester leading by one-goal-to-nil.
HALF-TIME SCORE
| WALSALL | 0-1 | COLCHESTER UNITED |
Walsall opted to make two changes as the sides returned, with Hayden White and Brandon Comley sitting out the second-half, as Andy Williams and Jacob Maddox took their places.
Debutant, Maddox was quick to get involved, as, just one minute after the re-start, he played Danny Johnson through on goal, but the strikers effort from a tight angle was saved by United 'keeper, Kieran O'Hara.
The roles were reversed moments later, as Johnson picked out Maddox with a cross into the box, but the recent arrival saw his effort blocked.
With forty-nine minutes on the clock, Beryly Lubala joined those playing on a caution, as he was shown the yellow card for a foul on Maddox.
The Saddlers continued to show signs of improvement, and fifty-one minute on the clock, Johnson was again presented with a chance to level the scores, as Knowles played him in, but his left-footed shot sailed wide.
Colchester won a corner in the fifty-fourth minute, as Chambers played in Appiah, whose effort on goal was blocked by a well-placed Walsall defender. The resulting flag-kick saw a headed effort from Dallison cleared off the line by Liam Bennett.
Walsall had soon worked the ball back to the other end, where Maddox was again involved as he played in Bennett, whose shot from the edge of the area was blocked.
With sixty-one minutes on the clock, the Saddlers levelled the scores, as Johnson passed the ball to Knowles around the half-way line, with the striker racing forwards before firing a powerful left-footed effort beyond O'Hara.
Four minutes after levelling the scores, the Saddlers could have been ahead, as Maddox broke with the ball before laying it off to Johnson, whose left-footed effort from the edge of the area, trickled inches wide of the upright.
In the sixty-seventh minute, Colchester went close to restoring their earlier lead, winning a corner, which was played in by Judge for Appiah, who was waiting at the near post, but his effort on goal narrowly cleared the crossbar.
The game settled in to something of a midfield battle as play continued, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball, but failing to really offer anything to test their opposition defence.
There was a brief halt to proceedings in the seventy-fourth minute, allowing Dallison to receive treatment for a knock, but the defender was soon back on his feet and able to continue.
Ten minutes from time, Colchester opted to make their first changes of the evening, with Beryly Lubala and Tom Dallison making way for Freddie Sears and Noah Chilvers.
There was another stoppage in play in the eighty-second minute, as Manny Monthe collided with Evans. Fortunately, both were soon back on their feet and able to continue.
With eighty-six minutes on the clock, both sides opted to make further changes, with Walsall replacing Isaac Hutchinson with Danny Cashman, whilst Colchester took off both Kwesi Appiah and Alan Judge in favour of Dan Chesters and Cole Skuse.
Just one minute later, United chose to make their fifth and final change of the evening, as Ryan Clampin made way for Junior Tchamadeu.
Five additional minutes were added to end the game, during which time, O'Hara made a great save to deny Donervon Daniels, who fired goal-wards from close range after some good play from Monthe to get the ball to him.
There was little further action of note, and the game was eventually brought to it's conclusion, with the sides taking one-point-apiece from the encounter. A much improved second-half performance from the Saddlers, who lacked any real impetus during the opening forty-five
FULL-TIME SCORE
| WALSALL | 1-1 | COLCHESTER UNITED |
| KNOWLES (61') | NOUBLE (2') |
| AT | POUNDLAND BESCOT STADIUM |
| ATTENDANCE | 4,237 (123 AWAY) |
| REFEREE | CARL BOYESON |