Walsall played host to Premier League Leicester City on Saturday afternoon, with a packed-our Poundland Bescot Stadium behind them, Michael Flynn's side were looking to make a piece of modern history and reach the Fifth Round of the world's oldest domestic cup competition.
Leicester City got the match underway, but it was Walsall who began the game the brighter, with Andy Williams stealing the ball from the kick-off, before racing upfield where Robbie Willmott crossed the ball into the area, but Daniel Amartey was able to clear the danger.
The game settled a little after the frantic start, but five minutes in, Leicester were able to work the ball into the box, but Patson Daka was crowded out by the Walsall defences and failed to get a shot away.
The visiting side continued to press, with Timothy Castagne crossing the ball into the area in the ninth minute, for Daka, but the strikers headed effort sailed wide of the target.
The hosts had soon worked the ball back up to the other end, where Andy Williams won a corner for his side. The ball was played short and eventually found Tom Knowles, whose effort which was headed towards the far corner, was well saved by City shot-stopper, Daniel Iversen.
There was a brief halt to proceedings as we reached the quarter hour mark, as James Maddison went down clutching his knee. He was soon back on his feet and able to continue, but became the first player to see his name added to the referee's notebook, as he was cautioned for dissent.
The game settled as it continued, though twenty minutes in, Castagne crossed the ball onto the head of Daka, whose effort on goal sailed well wide of the target.
Leicester continued to press, but after some good play to work the ball to him, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall fluffed his twenty-fourth minute effort, allowing Walsall shot-stopper, Owen Evans to make an easy save.
In the twenty-seventh minute, Hayden White became the second player to see his name added to the referee's notebook, as he was cautioned for a foul on Dewsbury-Hall.
City continued to look dangerous, with Daka picking up the ball inside the area in the twenty-eighth minute, but his effort on goal ended up going out for a throw-in.
Daka was soon back on the hunt for the opening goal, as he picked up the ball in the centre of the box and fired an effort goal-wards in the thirty-first minute, but the shot lacked power and Evans was able to get down and make the save to deny him.
The Saddlers were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position in the thirty-third minute. Jacob Maddox crossed the ball into the area, and eventually it came out to Knowles, who was waiting outside the area, but the number ten fired well wide.
The Foxes had soon worked the ball back up to the other end, where Daka was presented with another opportunity to shoot, but his effort from the edge of the area sailed narrowly over the crossbar.
There was a brief halt to proceedings in the thirty-seventh minute, as a clash of heads left both Joe Low and Daka requiring the attentions of the medical staff. Both were, fortunately, soon back on their feet and able to continue.
The game settled again as we raced towards the break, with Leicester seeing much of the possession, without creating anything to trouble the Walsall defences.
Two 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 the scores still tied.
HALF-TIME SCORE
| WALSALL | 0-0 | LEICESTER CITY |
The teams returned unchanged following the break, and Walsall got the action back underway. Leicester began the second-half brightly, winning a penalty just two minutes after the re-start, as Isaac Hutchinson was penalised for a foul on Daka just inside the area. Youri Tielemans stepped forth to take the spot-kick, but his effort struck the inside of the post and the scores remained unchanged.
Walsall had soon worked the ball up to the other end, with the ball played to Williams inside the area by Willmott, but the strikers shot sailed narrowly over the crossbar.
Leicester won a series of corners in the fifty-second minute, as Donervon Daniels and White turned the ball out of play, but nothing would come of any of the three opportunities as the Saddlers defences stood firm.
The visitors continued to press, with Maddison seeing an effort blocked in the fifty-sixth minute, before both Tielemans and Daka saw efforts denied by Evans.
With sixty-two minutes on the clock, Walsall opted to make a double change to their line-up, with Andy Williams and Isaac Hutchinson making way for Conor Wilkinson and debutant, Yann Songo'o. Leicester also took the opportunity to make changes to their team, with Patson Daka, James Maddison and Luke Thomas being replaced by Kelechi Iheanacho, Dennis Praet and Victor Kristiansen.
City almost opened the scoring in the sixty-fourth minute, as the recently introduced Iheanacho fired goal-wards, but the Walsall shot-stopper was alert to the danger and made the save.
Four minutes later, Iheanacho had more luck in front of goal, as he fired his side into the lead with a superb curling effort which deflected off Brendon Comley and over the head of Evans, who could do nothing to stop the effort finding the target.
The visitors were presented with a chance to extend their lead six minutes later, as Praet and Kristiansen combined, but the latter's effort on goal sailed high over the crossbar.
With seventy-four minutes on the clock, Walsall opted to make a third change to their line-up, with Brandon Comley making way for Douglas James-Taylor.
Ten minutes from time, Walsall rolled the dice, making their final two changes of the afternoon, as Jacob Maddox and Robbie Willmott made way for Ronan Maher and Taylor Allen.
The game settled a little as it continued, though both sides enjoyed spells on the ball, without creating anything to really test their opposition defences, until the eighty-fifth minute, when Evans was forced to make a save to deny Iheanacho from point-blank range.
Walsall won a corner in the eighty-seventh minute, which was swung in for Maher who was waiting on the edge of the area. His effort was flicked on by Wilkinson but Iversen made the save at the second time of asking.
City had soon worked the ball up to the other end, where Dewsbury-Hall fired wide, moments before Iheanacho sent an effort sailing high over the crossbar.
Four additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time, City won a corner which came to nothing, before Walsall won a free-kick just outside the area at the other end. Wilkinson stepped forth to take the set-piece, and fired round the wall but wide of the mark.
That would be the final action of note, and the game ended with Leicester winning by one-goal-to-nil.
FULL-TIME SCORE
| WALSALL | 0-1 | LEICESTER CITY |
| GOALSCORER | IHEANACHO (68') |
| AT | POUNDLAND BESCOT STADIUM |
| ATTENDANCE | 10,297 |
| REFEREE | GAVIN WARD |