Walsall returned to action on Saturday afternoon as they made their way to the JobServe Community Stadium and took on Colchester United in their latest outing of the 2023/24 League Two campaign.Both sides took time to settle into the game, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball without creating anything to trouble their opposition's defences, until the eighth minute, when Colchester United won the first corner of the afternoon, as Emmanuel Adegboyega turned the ball behind. Though nothing would come of the flag-kick.
Ten minutes into the contest, Walsall created their first chance of note, as Liam Gordon worked the ball to Jack Earing who had created space for himself, but his effort on goal sailed over the crossbar from close range.
Colchester won a second corner kick in the fourteenth minute, as Liam Gordon put the ball behind. Arthur Read swung the ball in from the flag-kick for Cameron McGeehan, but Walsall shot-stopper, Jackson Smith was alert to the danger and did well to get a hand to the headed effort to make the save.
The game settled into something of a midfield battle as it continued, with both sides seeing plenty of the ball, without testing their opposition defences.
Twenty-four minutes in, Walsall went close to finding an opener, as Isaac Hutchinson combined with Mo Faal, to play in Taylor Allen, but the defender's effort was well positioned for Colchester's keeper, Owen Goodman who turned the ball behind. The resulting corner found Josh Gordon, who saw a headed effort blocked before Allen picked up the loose ball and fired over from close range.
As we reached the half-hour mark, United found themselves in a position to open the scoring at the other end, but Jayden Fevrier was ultimately unable to find the target with his effort, sending the ball high and wide.
With thirty-seven minutes on the clock, Walsall found the breakthrough; Liam Gordon worked the ball to Allen on the edge of the area, with the defender firing an effort into the bottom corner to secure his second goal of the campaign.
The hosts almost levelled the scores in the forty-fifth minute, as Bradley Ihionvien found McGeehan with a cross into the box, but Smith was alert to the danger and got down well to keep the ball out.
One additional minute was 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 Walsall leading by one-goal-to-nil.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and the action got back underway. Colchester began the second-half brightly, and just three minutes after the restart, they levelled the scores as McGeehan capitalised on a poor clearance from Brandon Comley and slotted the ball past Smith.
United went close to adding a second to their tally in the fifty-second minute, as Ihionvien fired an effort goal-wards from the centre of the box, but Smith did well to get to the ball to deny him.
The hosts were presented with another chance to take the lead just one minute later, as they were awarded a penalty after Harry Anderson was fouled inside the area by Earing. Noah Chilvers stepped forth to take the spot-kick, but Smith went the right way and got a hand to the ball to keep it out, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
Walsall had soon worked the ball up to the other end, with Liam Gordon playing in Allen in the fifty-sixth minute, but the defender was unable to repeat his earlier goal-scoring exploits, firing straight into the arms of the 'keeper.
The Saddlers continued to press, going close again in the sixty-third minute, as Liam Gordon worked the ball to Josh Gordon, but the striker was unable to find the target, sending the ball over the crossbar.
Colchester opted to make their first changes of the afternoon in the sixty-eighth minute, with John Akinde and Noah Chilvers making way for Tom Hopper and Alistair Smith.
Walsall followed suit soon after, making a double change to their line-up in the seventy-fourth minute, with Isaac Hutchinson and Mo Faal making way for Ross Tierney and Douglas James-Taylor. United also took the opportunity to add more fresh legs, with Harry Anderson being replaced by Owura Edwards.
Things remained settled, with neither side looking likely to score a second goal as the game continued, however, eighty-one minutes in, Walsall did create a chance as Earing floated the ball in for Tierney, but Goodman was alert to the danger and came out to claim.
United were quick to work the ball up to the other end, with Hopper playing the ball through for Ihionvien, but the strikers effort lacked power and was easily saved by Smith.
Walsall won a corner back at the other end, moments later, as Joe Foulkes worked the ball to Earing, whose effort was blocked behind by Tom Dallison-Lisbon, but nothing would come of the flag-kick.
Cameron McGeehan became the first player to see yellow in the eighty-sixth minute, as he was cautioned following a foul on Adegboyega.
Walsall were presented with a chance to take the lead again in the eighty-eighth minute, as Liam Gordon pulled the ball back for Josh Gordon, but the striker was unable to find the target, sending the ball wide of the near post.
Five additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time Emmanuel Adegboyega became the second player to see yellow, as he was cautioned for a foul on Hopper. Three minutes later, Brandon Comley joined him in the referee's notebook, as a foul on Jade Jay Mingi saw him shown the yellow.
That would be the final action of note, and the game was brought to it's conclusion with the sides sharing the points.
| McGEEHAN (58') | ALLEN (37') |
| AT | JOBSERVE COMMUNITY STADIUM |
| REFEREE | DAVID ROCK |