Walsall's 2025/26 Sky Bet League Two campaign continued on Saturday afternoon as they took on Milton Keynes Dons in Buckinghamshire.The teams took some time to settle into the contest, with a brief stoppage in the fourth minute, allowing Jack Sanders to receive attention following a collision with Aaron Pressley, before another pause in play followed five minutes later, as Evan Weir required attention following a foul by Luke Offord, who received the first yellow card of the game, just nine minutes in, for the move. Fortunately, both were able to continue.
Walsall created the first real chance of the game, in the nineteenth minute, as a low cross from Daniel Kanu fell kindly for Charlie Lakin, whose first time effort was well saved by former Saddler turned Dons 'keeper, Craig MacGillivray, who got his fingertips to it to turn it behind. The resulting corner coming to nothing.
The visiting side continued to enjoy a bright spell, going close again moments later, as a long throw from Jamie Jellis was cleared only as far as Weir, who played the ball back to Lakin, whose strike sailed narrowly over the crossbar.
The Saddlers went on to win a corner, as Offord turned the ball behind, from which Weir crossed the ball in for Aden Flint, who headed goal-wards from the centre of the box, but missed the target, sending the ball over.
The Dons soon had the ball up at the other end, where Callum Paterson saw a shot from outside the area blocked.
Another pause in play followed, in the twenty-sixth minute, as Evan Weir went down again requiring further attention from the Walsall medical staff, but it was soon determined that he would be unable to continue, and Priestley Farquharson was introduced in his place.
The hosts grew into the game as play continued, seeing more of the ball, though struggling to break through the Walsall defences to create anything of note, although Alex Gilbey did see a headed effort sail over the crossbar, in the thirty-first minute, shortly before Paterson fired wide.
The Dons continued to press, with Walsall shot-stopper, Myles Roberts, forced to make a save to deny Jon Mellish, in the forty-second minute.
Five additional minutes were added to end the first-half, during which time, the hosts won a free-kick following a foul by Lewis Warrington, though nothing would come of the set-piece, as Sanders fired over. That would prove to be the final action of note, and the teams headed back to their respective dressing rooms with the scores still tied.
Walsall chose to make their second change of the afternoon, as the teams returned, with Jamie Jellis sitting out the second-half, as Ryan Finnigan took his place.
Callum Paterson joined Offord playing on a caution, moments after the restart, as he was booked following a foul on Flint.
Vincent Harper became the third player to see his name added to the referee's notebook, four minutes into the second period, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Rushian Hepburn-Murphy.
The home side went close to opening the scoring, in the forty-ninth minute, as Patterson fired goal-wards from the edge of the area, but the ball sailed inches wide of the post.
Just three minutes later, Walsall did find the breakthrough, as Farquharson combined with Pressley to work the ball to Lakin, who fired a low effort past MacGillivray to find the bottom corner.
MK Dons looked to respond quickly to falling behind, winning a free-kick in a promising position, in the fifty-fourth minute, but Nathaniel Méndez-Laing fired Liam Kelly's ball in over.
The hosts continued to press, with Jon Mellish crossing the ball in for Will Collar, moments later, but the midfielders headed effort was saved by Roberts.
With sixty-two minutes on the clock, Walsall chose to make their third change of the game, with Vincent Harper making way for Courtney Clarke.
The game settled into something of a midfield battle as play continued, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball, without creating much of note.
MK Dons opted to make their first changes of the afternoon, in the seventieth minute, as Will Collar and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy made way for Daniel Crowley and Aaron Nemane.
The hosts almost levelled the scores, moments after the changes were completed, as Gilbey crossed the ball towards the back post, for Mendez-Laing, whose low effort was well saved by Roberts.
Walsall chose to make their final two changes of the afternoon, in the seventy-eighth minute, as Lewis Warrington and Daniel Kanu departed, in favour of Brandon Comley and Albert Adomah.
Things remained settled as the final ten minutes or so were played, though six minutes from time, the Dons bench chose to introduce another substitute, with Jon Mellish making way for Jonathan Leko.
Just four minutes later, the host chose to introduce further fresh legs, as Luke Offord's place was filled by Connor Lemonheigh-Evans.
The hosts continued to seek an equaliser as the game entered its final moments, with Gilbey firing a powerful effort in from distance, but Roberts remained alert to the danger and made the save.
Five additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time, Paterson saw a headed effort from the centre of the box sail wide of the target.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the game was brought to its conclusion, with Lakin's fifty-second minute goal enough to secure all three points for the Saddlers.
| LAKIN (52') | |
| AT | STADIUM MK |
| REFEREE | SAM MULHALL |