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Walsall Under-18s returned to action on Saturday morning as they took on Bolton Wanderers U18s in their latest EFL Youth Alliance outing of the season.Taking place at the Birmingham County FA's headquarters on Ray Hall Lane, the young Saddlers were hoping to earn an all-too-rare victory as they welcomed the Trotters to town after losing five of their six previous Alliance games.
Outside of the league, Walsall have tasted victory against their opponents Bolton as a Jaiy Leydon treble helped them to secure a 4-2 win in the Youth Alliance Cup just a few short weeks ago.
WALSALL
Kilroy; Beckford, Wilkes, Bennett, Cox, Lawal-Olumegbon, Etheridge, Thomas, Uchenna, Juliff, Wragg
Substitutes: Foster; Straw, Fookes, Leydon, Clarkson
BOLTON WANDERERS
Flint; Pinto, Rice, Smith, Irwin, Grayson, Westwood, Leigh, Abimbola, Fleury, Loureiro
Substitutes: Lawrence, Barlow, Cutler, Ritchie, Sixsmith
Substitutes: Lawrence, Barlow, Cutler, Ritchie, Sixsmith
Saturday's game started positively for the young Saddlers as hot prospect Dylan Thomas, who was captaining the side, put them into the lead within ten minutes of the opening whistle with a neat finish into the bottom corner of the net.
However, Walsall couldn't retain their lead until the break as the visitors mounted a quick-fire comeback as David Abimbola, Harrison Fleury, and Gio Loureiro all put the ball beyond Jenson Kilroy late in the half to take a comfortable lead.
The Saddlers made changes both at the break and within six-minutes of the second-half getting underway but they couldn't change the direction of the contest as Bolton added a fourth goal as Harrison Fleury was played through on goal with the attacker able to circumnavigate the 'keeper before seeing his effort helped home by a panicked defender.
Bolton's fifth goal of the game arrived ten minutes after their fourth and saw second-half substitute Daeshon Lawrence, who had only been on the pitch for a matter of moments, lash home for the edge of the area.
The visitors continued their dominant display minutes later Fleury completed his hat-trick will a well-taken effort from outside the area, as the Walsall backline appeared incapable of resiting their opponents' advances.
There were no further goals as the visitors secured all three points with an all-too-comfortable win at Ray Hall Lane.
FULL-TIME
| WALSALL | 1-6 | BOLTON |
| THOMAS (9') |
ABIMBOLA (40') FLEURY (41'. 51', 63') LOUREIRO (45+7') LAWRENCE (61') |
| AT | RAY HALL LANE |