Walsall made their way to the Crowd Meadow on Tuesday evening as they took on Shrewsbury Town in their third and final group game of the 2023/24 Bristol Street Motors Trophy.Having already exited the competition after failing to win any of their two previous games, both the Saddlers and Shrews were looking to end their participation with a victory.
Walsall began the game brightly, and just six minutes in they took the lead as a long ball over the top undid the Shrewsbury defences, allowing Danny Johnson chance to shoot, with the striker beating onrushing Town 'keeper, Harry Burgoyne with a clinical finish.
Things settled as the game continued, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball without creating anything to trouble their opposition defences.
As we reached the quarter hour mark, Shrewsbury were presented with a chance to level the scores, as they were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position, just outside the area, but Elliott Bennett was unable to find the target, sending the ball narrowly wide of the upright.
Walsall were quick to work the ball back up to the other end, where Ronan Maher saw a low cross cleared only as far as Tom Knowles who took aim from the edge of the area, with his strike being deflected narrowly wide.
The Saddlers went close again in the twenty-fourth minute, as Joe Foulkes played in Isaac Hutchinson, but his shot on goal lacked power, allowing Burgoyne to make the save.
The visiting side continued to press, with Knowles intercepting a poor cross in the twenty-seventh minute before passing the ball to Johnson, who fired a low effort goal-wards, only narrowly missing the target.
With thirty-two minutes on the clock, Shrewsbury levelled the scores, as the ball fell to Daniel Udoh, twenty yards from goal, with the striker firing a powerful effort beyond Jackson Smith in the Walsall goal.
Tom Knowles became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul in the thirty-third minute, and two minutes after levelling the scores, Shrewsbury took the lead, as former Saddler, Malvind Benning fired home the resulting free-kick from twenty-five yards.
Walsall looked to respond quickly to falling behind, with Knowles firing an effort in on goal in the thirty-sixth minute, but Burgoyne was well positioned to make the save.
The Saddlers opted to make their first change of the evening in the thirty-ninth minute, as Ryan Stirk made way for Harvey Griffiths.
Four additional minutes were added to end the first-half, during which time Udoh called Smith into action, with the Walsall shot-stopper doing well to get down to make the save.
That would be the final action of note, and the teams headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with Shrewsbury leading by two-goals-to-one.
Shrewsbury opted to make two changes to their line-up as the teams returned, with Daniel Udoh and Taylor Perry sitting out the second-half, as Nana Owusu-Gyimah and Jack Loughran took their places.
Aaron Pierre and Oisin McEntee both saw their names added to the referee's notebook in the forty-eighth minute, as both were cautioned for dissent.
Four minutes into the half, Shrewsbury added to their tally, with Elliot Thorpe combining with Loughran to play in Ryan Bowman, who coolly headed past Smith.
Johnson almost pulled a goal back for the Saddlers in the fifty-third minute, as Griffiths slipped the ball through to him, but the strikers effort sailed narrowly wide of the upright.
Harvey Griffiths joined those already listed in the referee's notebook in the fifty-seventh minute, as he was cautioned following a foul on Owusu-Gyimah.
Walsall should have narrowed Shrewsbury's lead in the fifty-ninth minute, but Knowles fired over when he really should have scored.
The Saddlers were presented with another chance to reduce the deficit as we reached the hour mark, as they were awarded a penalty after Foulkes was felled by Owusu-Gyimah inside the area. Harry Burgoyne then found his name being taken by the referee after the awarding of the penalty, as he was cautioned for arguing with the officials. Johnson stepped forth to take the spot-kick, but Burgoyne got down well to parry the effort clear.
Shrewsbury chose to make two further changes to their team in the sixty-fourth minute, Ryan Bowman and Elliott Bennett were replaced by Declan Hutchings and Harvey Watts.
Walsall opted to make a change to their line-up four minutes later, as Rollin Menayese made way for Douglas James-Taylor.
Four minutes later, the visiting side chose to make a third substitution, as Oisin McEntee's place was taken by Dylan Thomas.
Walsall reduced Shrewsbury lead to one goal in the seventy-third minute, as Knowles crossed a low ball into the area for an unmarked Hutchinson, who fired home from close range.
The hosts looked to their bench again in the seventy-ninth minute, as Jude Collins made way for Simba Nyamwanza, who became the youngest ever player to represent Shrewsbury as he took to the field on his sixteenth birthday.
The Saddlers looked to level the scores as we entered the final ten minutes of the game, with Johnson forcing a fine save from Burgoyne in the eighty-third minute, with a headed effort from close range, before Knowles picked out David Okagbue with a cross into the box four minutes later, with the defender heading wide.
Six additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time Douglas James-Taylor became the sixth player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul.
Five minutes into those added, Jack Loughran joined those already listed in the referee's notebook, as he was also cautioned following a foul.
There was little further action of note, and the game was brought to it's conclusion with Shrewsbury winning by three-goals-to-two.
| UDOH (32') BENNING (34') BOWMAN (49') |
JOHNSON (6') HUTCHINSON (73') |
| AT | THE CROWD MEADOW |
| REFEREE | RUEBYN RICARDO |