Attention turned to cup action on Tuesday evening as Walsall made their way into Staffordshire as they took on Stoke City in Round One of the 2025/26 Carabao Cup.The game got underway, but was paused just one minute later, as Bosun Lawal took a ball to the face and required attention from the Stoke City medical team. Fortunately, he was soon back on his feet, and play resumed.
Stoke saw much of the ball as the game got going, but were confined largely to the midfield area as the Walsall defences prevented them finding a way through. Until, nine minutes in, the hosts were presented with a chance to open the scoring, as Jamie Donley capitalised on a loose ball and fired goal-wards from the edge of the area. Fortunately for the Saddlers, shot-stopper, Sam Hornby was alert to the danger and turned the ball wide, with the resulting corner coming to nothing as the visitors cleared.
Walsall had soon worked the ball up to the other end, with Albert Adomah providing a promising pass to Josh Gordon, but the strikers ball goal-wards from outside the area was blocked.
The Saddlers continued to enjoy a bright spell, winning two corners in quick succession, in the thirteenth minute, though nothing would come of either.
City soon had the ball back inside the Walsall half, and could have taken the lead through Lawal, but his strike from outside the box ultimately failed to trouble Hornby as it sailed high and wide of the target.
Walsall went close, at the other end, in the eighteenth minute, as Priestley Farquharson headed the ball on for Ronan Maher, who also sent his effort high and wide.
The Saddlers continued to enjoy a good spell, with Adomah crossing the ball in for Maher, who saw an effort blocked, in the twenty-first minute, moments before Connor Barrett worked the ball to Gordon, who saw a strike from the centre of the box sail wide of the upright.
Things settled a little as play continued, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball without creating much of note.
There was a brief halt to proceedings, in the thirty-seventh minute, allowing Jack Bonham to receive attention from the medical personnel, though he was soon back on his feet and able to continue.
Walsall continued to allow Stoke much of the ball, as we raced towards half-time, but the hosts were unable to find a way through the Saddlers defences to make use of the possession.
Play was paused once more, as the board went up to indicate that four additional minutes would be added to end the first-half, allowing the Walsall medical staff a moment to check on Vincent Harper after he took a knock to the head. He was soon back on his feet, and play resumed.
There was little further action of note, although Róbert Boženík did head wide three minutes into those added, before the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with the scores still tied.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and play got back underway. Both teams enjoyed early spells with the ball, though neither created anything of note in the early goings.
Tatsuki Seko became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul on Courtney Clarke, five minutes after the restart.
Stoke went close to opening the scoring, in the fifty-third minute, as Donley fired goal-wards from outside the area, but his effort failed to find the target, as it struck the crossbar.
Bosun Lawal became the second player to be shown the yellow card, as a foul on Ronan Maher, in the fifty-fifth minute, resulted in a caution.
Priestley Farquharson joined those playing on a caution, just two minutes later, as his name was added to the referee's notebook for a foul on Favour Fawunmi.
Stoke opted to make their first changes of the evening, in the sixty-third minute, as Million Manhoef, Bosun Lawal and Ben Gibson, made way for Bae Jun-Ho, Will Smith and Ben Wilmot.
Just two minutes later, the Saddlers opted to make some changes to their line-up too, with Josh Gordon, Ronan Maher and Connor Barrett departing, as their places were filled by Jonny Stuttle, Jake Hollman and Jamie Jellis.
Play was halted momentarily, in the sixty-ninth minute, allowing Fawunmi to receive attention from the City medical team, but he was soon back on his feet and play resumed once again.
Another brief pause in the action followed, in the seventy-third minute, as Priestley Farquharson went down with what appeared to be cramp. It was soon decided that that would be his final contribution to the evenings entertainment, and Aden Flint was brought on in his place.
Stoke probably should have opened the scoring, fifteen minutes from time, as Seko delivered a dangerous cross into the box, but it evaded everyone and the moment went begging.
Walsall made their fifth and final substitution of the evening, in the seventy-eighth minute, as Courtney Clarke was replaced by Jamille Matt for the run in. Stoke also took the opportunity to make a change, with Tatsuki Seko making way for Lewis Baker.
Baker was quick to get involved in the action, crossing the ball in for Eric-Junior Bocat, just three minutes after his introduction into the game, but the defenders strike from outside the box had too much on it, and the ball sailed high over the crossbar.
Walsall could have taken the lead, in the eighty-fourth minute, as Jellis played the ball into the area for Flint, but the defenders headed effort fell wide of the target.
City chose to make their fifth and final change of the game, in the eighty-ninth minute, with Róbert Boženík making way for Divin Mubama.
Seven additional minutes were added to end the match. Walsall almost found the breakthrough, just two minutes into them, as Matt intercepted a loose pass and played the ball through for Stuttle who fired goal-wards from outside the area, but Stoke 'keeper, Jack Bonham was alert to the danger and got his fingertips to it to keep it out.
The resulting corner was played onto the head of Flint, whose nod on was met by Stuttle, who was unable to find the target, sending the ball narrowly wide of the upright.
There was a brief halt to proceedings, in the seventh of the added minutes, following a collision between two Stoke players, but both were able to continue, and play resumed.
That would, however, prove to be the final action of note, and the game ended with the scores still tied, sending us to a penalty shoot-out, which Stoke City would go on to win, by four-goals-to-three. Matt, Flint and Jellis converted for Walsall, whilst Stuttle would fire over and Adomah saw his spot-kick denied by Bonham. Hornby denied Mubama to keep Walsall in it, but Baker, Donley, Jun-Ho and Bonham would all convert to put their side through.
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| REFEREE | JAMES BELL |