Walsall reached matchday 46 with a small chance of securing a place in League One, however, after allowing a once double-figure lead disappear, fans weren't holding out much hope for a first win in fourteen games.Walsall began the game brightly, seeing plenty of the early ball, and could have opened the scoring just two minutes into the contest, as a long throw from Harry Williams found Levi Amantchi, who got the slightest of touches on it, but Crewe 'keeper, Filip Marschall was on hand to collect.
The Saddlers continued to press, winning a corner in the third minute, as Jamie Knight-Lebel turned the ball out of play; Jamie Jellis curled the ball into the box for David Okagbue, but the defender was unable to find the target, sending his effort over.
The visitors created another chance moments later, as Nathan Asiimwe crossed the ball in for Amantchi, but the striker saw his headed effort saved.
Crewe began to see more of the ball as play continued, and created their first chance of note, in the ninth minute, as Chris Long played the ball into the box for Calum Agius, whose tame effort was easily saved by Walsall shot-stopper, Tommy Simkin.
Play was briefly paused in the eleventh minute, allowing players and officials alike to join in with a minute of applause in memory of Junior Groves, a young Crewe Alexandra supporter who recently passed away.
Things settled a little as play resumed, but Crewe created a chance to open the scoring in the eighteenth, as Lewis Billington played the ball to Chris Long, who fired goal-wards from distance, but missed the target.
Walsall were quick to work the ball up to the other end, where they won a corner, as Conor Thomas put the ball behind. Nothing would come of the flag-kick though, as the ball fell to George Hall, who fired over.
Another Saddlers corner followed two minutes later, as Billington turned the ball out of play, though nothing would come of that either, as Jellis' ball into the box was headed high and wide of the target by Okagbue.
The hosts won a corner in the twenty-fifth minute, as Williams cleared the ball out play. The flag-kick was played short, and eventually worked to Max Conway, outside the box, but his effort on goal sailed high and wide.
The game settled into something of a midfield battle as it continued, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball, without creating anything of note to trouble their opposition defences.
Walsall did find themselves with a chance to open the scoring though, in the thirty-third minute, as Taylor Allen ran onto a ball from Jellis and fired goal-wards from outside the box, but his effort whistled narrowly wide of the upright.
The Saddlers went close in the fortieth minute, after another quieter spell, as they broke with the ball before Jellis combined with Ryan Stirk to play in Hall, whose strike, from the edge of the area, was saved by Marschall.
There was a pause in play, in the forty-first minute, allowing Adrien Thibaut to receive attention from the medical team. It was soon determined that he would be unable to play any further part in the game, and Omar Bogle was brought on in his place.
Two additional minutes were added to end the first-half, during which time, the Saddlers won a corner, as Marschall did well to turn a low effort from Hall behind. The flag-kick would ultimately come to nothing.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the referee called time on the first-half, with the scores unchanged.
Walsall opted to make a change to their line-up, as the teams returned, with Levi Amantchi sitting out the second-half, as Jamille Matt took his place.
The Saddlers began the second-half brightly, winning a corner just one minute after the restart, as Connor O'Riordan turned the ball out of play. Nothing would come of the flag-kick though, as the ball eventually fell to Hall, whose effort on goal was saved.
Crewe won a corner at the other end, in the fifty-first minute, as Alfie Chang put the ball behind. The flag-kick was taken short, and the ball was eventually worked to Conway, who fired a low effort through the crowded box, with his effort being blocked on the line by Liam Gordon.
Things settled as play continued, but Walsall found the breakthrough, in the fifty-ninth minute, as a long throw into the box found Okagbue who played the ball on for Hall, who fired home from close range.
Calum Agius became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned, in the sixty-second minute, following a foul on Allen.
The Saddlers sought to add to their tally, going close in the sixty-third minute, as Gordon played in Allen, whose curling effort from the edge of the area sailed over the crossbar.
Crewe chose to make their second change of the afternoon, in the sixty-eighth minute, as Conor Thomas was replaced by Fin Roberts.
Walsall followed suit, making their second substitution of the game, twenty minutes from time, as Alfie Chang made way for Oisin McEntee.
Max Sanders became the second player to be shown the yellow card, as he was cautioned for dissent, in the seventy-second minute.
The Saddlers chose to make their third change of the afternoon, in the seventy-eighth minute, with George Hall departing in favour of Charlie Lakin.
Crewe felt they should have been awarded a penalty, in the eightieth minute, as Owen Lunt went down inside the area, but the referee was unmoved by their appeals and waved play on.
The hosts chose to make two further changes to their line-up, in the eighty-fifth minute, as Jamie Knight-Lebel and Christopher Long made way for James Connolly and Charlie Finney.
Walsall could have added to their tally, moments after the changes were completed, as Lakin crossed the ball in for Williams, whose effort on goal was denied by the outstretched leg of Marschall.
Crewe went close at the other end, in the eighty-seventh minute, as the recently introduced Finney played the ball into the box for Roberts, who was unmarked in the centre of the area, but his effort lacked power and Simkin was able to make the save.
As we headed into time added on, Walsall chose to make their final change of the game, with Jamie Jellis making way for Albert Adomah.
Crewe won a free-kick in a promising position, three minutes into added time, as Bogle was fouled by Williams. The ball in from Sanders found O'Riordan, but his headed effort sailed wide of the upright.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the referee eventually called time on the contest, with Walsall winning by one-goal-to-nil.
Unfortunately, it would not prove to be enough for the Saddlers, as Bradford City beat Fleetwood Town, taking the automatic promotion place and pushing Walsall back into the Play-Off places.
| HALL(59') | |
| AT | MORNFLAKE STADIUM |
| REFEREE | MATT CORLETT |