Walsall were back in action on Tuesday evening as they welcomed Grimsby Town to the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium for their fourth game of the 2025/26 League Two campaign.Looking to build upon last weekend's narrow win over Barnet, Sadler opted to make just the one change to hos starting XI, with Lewis Warrington coming into midfield..
Walsall got the action underway, but it was Grimsby who were presented with the first chance of the evening, as Harrison Burke turned the ball out of play, six minutes in, gifting the visitors a corner. The flag-kick was swung into the box, only to be turned behind by Jonny Stuttle, with the second corner of the evening coming to nothing.
At the other end, moments later, Walsall created a chance to open the scoring themselves, as an effort on goal from Stuttle, from outside the box, was put out of play by Cameron McJannet. The resulting corner also coming to nothing.
Grimsby were quick to work the ball back into the Walsall area, with Darragh Burns crossing the ball into the box for Jaze Kabia, whose effort on goal was blocked by Burke, for another flag-kick, from which George McEachran fired wide.
The end-to-end action continued, with Walsall seeing a chance go begging, in the eleventh minute, as Aaron Pressley headed the ball on for Charlie Lakin, whose strike goal-wards sailed narrowly over. Moments later, Stuttle would cross the ball into the box for Pressley, whose header towards goal sailed high and wide of the target.
Town would go on to win another corner kick, in the thirteenth minute, but once more they were unable to make the most of the opportunity.
Grimsby continued to enjoy a decent spell as play continued; Harvey Rodgers working the ball to Kieran Green, in the sixteenth minute, with the captain playing it on for Darragh Burns, who struck goal-wards, sending the ball high and wide.
Walsall created the best chance of the game to date, in the twenty-fifth minute, as Connor Barrett broke with the ball before playing the ball on for Jamie Jellis, who in turn crossed to Lewis Warrington, whose goal-bound effort from the edge of the area, forced a fine save from Grimsby shot-stopper, Christy Pym.
Pym was again called into action moments later, as Mason Hancock played a low cross towards the near post, forcing the goalkeeper to parry, with Lakin pouncing on the rebound to test the man between the sticks again, but not finding him wanting.
There was a brief halt to proceedings, in the twenty-sixth minute, allowing McEachran to receive treatment from the Grimsby medical team, but he was soon back on his feet and able to continue.
The visitors then saw another chance go begging, as Evan Khouri fired high and wide with a shot from outside the box, in the thirtieth minute.
There was another pause in play, in the thirty-first minute, allowing Jellis to receive attention from the Walsall medical team. He was soon able to rejoin the action though, and Jayden Sweeney became the first player to see his name added to the referee's notebook, for the foul which brought about the delay.
Play was stopped again, just two minutes after it restarted, as Jonny Stuttle went down requiring treatment. It was soon determined that he would be unable to continue, with Albert Adomah being brought on in his place.
Walsall won a corner in the forty-first minute, which Hancock crossed into the box for Jellis, whose headed effort forced a fine save from Pym.
Grimsby won a corner at the other end, just one minute later, as Burns crossed the ball in for Kabia, who fired goal-wards, forcing a save from Walsall shot-stopper, Myles Roberts. The resulting corner coming to nothing, as McEachran fired wide.
Eight additional minutes were added to end the first-half, during which time, Charles Vernam played a promising ball in for Rodgers, but the defenders' effort from outside the area failed to test Roberts, as it sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.
Walsall saw a chance to open the scoring go begging five minutes into those added, as a free-kick was initially cleared, before Barrett picked up the loose ball and cutback to Jellis on the edge of the area, but the midfielder fired over.
That would prove to be the final action of note for the first-half, and the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with the scores still tied.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and Grimsby got the action back underway. The visitors began the second-half brightly, winning a free-kick in a dangerous position, just three minutes after the restart, but nothing would come of the set-piece, as Vernam failed to beat the Walsall wall.
Town continued to enjoy a bright spell, going close in the fifty-second minute, as Kabia played the ball to Vernam, whose strike goal-wards, was denied by Roberts.
A pause in play followed, allowing Mason Hancock to receive attention from the medical staff. It was soon determined that he would be unable to continue, and Walsall were forced to make a second change, bringing on Courtney Clarke in his place.
The Saddlers probably should have taken the lead in the fifty-seventh minute, as Daniel Cox picked up the ball inside the Grimsby half and raced forwards, firing goal-wards from twenty-five yards out, but the defender's powerful strike cannoned off the crossbar.
Things settled a little as the game continued, but Lakin did see a chance go begging, in the sixty-sixth minute, as he fired high over the crossbar from the centre of the box.
With sixty-eight minutes on the clock, Grimsby found the breakthrough. A good ball into the box from Doug Tharme, being headed goal-wards by Green, with Aden Flint playing the ball off the line, into the path of Khouri, who fired home from close range.
Walsall chose to make their final three changes of the evening, in the seventy-second minute, with Charlie Lakin, Aaron Pressley and Jamie Jellis making way for Jake Hollman, Jamille Matt and debutant, Ryan Finnigan.
Grimsby could have doubled their advantage, in the seventy-fourth minute, as Green fired a powerful effort in on goal from outside the area, but Roberts was able to get his hands to it to beat it away.
Daniel Cox became the second player to see yellow, as he was cautioned in the seventy-fifth minute, following a foul on Green.
The visiting side chose to make their first changes of the evening, in the seventy-seventh minute, with Jaze Kabia and Darragh Burns departing, as Cameron Gardner and Justin Amaluzor joined the fray.
Walsall should have levelled the scores ten minutes from time, as the ball was headed home from close range by Finnigan, but the flag was raised for an infringement of the offside rules and the goal would not stand.
Eight minutes from time, Grimsby chose to make a third change to their line-up, with Charles Vernam making way for Jamie Walker.
Things settled again as Grimsby looked to play out the final minutes with their lead intact. The visitors making another substitution in the eighty-ninth minute, as Kieran Green made way for Tyrell Warren.
George McEachran joined those playing on a caution, in the final of the ninety minutes, as he was cautioned for time wasting.
Eight additional minutes were added to end the match. Three minutes into them, Grimsby won a free-kick in a dangerous position, just outside the area, as Gardner was fouled by Cox. Nothing would come of the set-piece though, as McEachran failed to beat the wall, with the ball heading out of play off Clarke for a corner, which came to nothing.
Myles Roberts joined those playing on a caution six minutes into those added, apparently for a foul, although none actually appeared to have been committed.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the game was brought to its conclusion with Grimsby winning by one-goal-to-nil.
| KHOURI (68') | |
| AT | BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | MATT CORLETT |