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Walsall Under-18s returned to EFL Youth Alliance - North West action on Saturday morning as they played host to Rochdale Under-18s in their final Youth Alliance outing of the 2022/23 campaign.After suffering a narrow defeat at the hands of Oldham Athletic in midweek, the young Saddlers were hoping to end the season on a high and secure what would have been just their fourth win of a truly disappointing season.
WALSALL TEAM
Kilroy; Beckford, Wilkes, Cox, Owen, Bennett, Poskitt, Preeze, Thomas, Wragg, Juliff
Substitutes: Barrett; Jones, Roberts, Uchenna, Leydon
With new Professional Development Phase Coach Ryan Simmonds naming a side that included a mix of scholars and young-age players, the Saddlers had a point to prove as they looked to go into the summer on the back of a well-rounded display.
However, though they have shown signs of improvement over recent weeks, the match started in predictable fashion as the visitors went into the lead with less than ten minutes on the clock as Zak Greenwell sent a superb free-kick beyond Jenson Kilroy and into the back of the net.
The second-half was riddled with substitutions as both managers took a look at the options available to them, and it looked like there would be no further goals as the clock ticked down.
However, the Saddlers were gifted an opportunity to level the scores late in the game as Will Uchenna was felled inside the area, giving the referee little option but to point for a penalty.
Piers Juliff was the man to step up and take the spot kick, which he dispatched with aplomb, giving his side a welcome share of the spoils after a hard-fought contest at Ray Hall Lane.
FULL-TIME
| WALSALL | 1-1 | ROCHDALE |
| JULIFF [PEN] (90+2') | GREENWELL (9') |