Walsall opened their 2025/26 Sky Bet League Two campaign at home to Swindon Town as they looked to bounce back from last season's Play-Off Final defeat to AFC Wimbledon.
Both teams enjoyed spells on the ball in the early goings, but the first real chance of note fell to Swindon Town, in the sixth minute, as Tom Nichols was fouled by Jamie Jellis, earning his side a free-kick in a promising position. Nothing would come of the set-piece, however, as Walsall shot-stopper, Myles Roberts gathered.
With just eight minutes on the clock, Walsall opened the scoring, as Evan Weir fired a free-kick into the top corner from some twenty-five yards out, after Ollie Clarke fouled Aaron Pressley.
Walsall could have doubled their advantage, quarter of an hour into the contest, as Jonny Stuttle latched onto a loose ball from Will Wright, but Swindon 'keeper, Connor Ripley was alert to the danger and got out quickly to deny him.
The Saddlers were reduced to ten men, in the twentieth minute, as Brandon Comley was shown a straight red card for denying a goal-scoring opportunity, after he brought down Aaron Drinan. The resulting free-kick came to nothing, as Roberts stopped Wright's effort.
The hosts made a change to their line-up, in response to the sending off, with Jonny Stuttle making way for the recently arrived, Lewis Warrington.
Swindon could have levelled the scores, in the twenty-fifth minute, as Wright played the ball into the area for Harry Smith, but the strikers header goal-wards was well saved by Roberts.
The game settled into something of a midfield battle as it continued, with a few scrappy challenges resulting in free-kicks, but little real action of note.
The visiting side struggled to break through the Walsall defences, though they did find a route through five minutes before the break, as Joe Snowdon crossed the ball into the box for Drinan, but the forwards headed effort sailed narrowly over the crossbar.
Swindon opted to make their first substitution of the game, in the fortieth minute, as Gavin Kilkenny was replaced by Botan Ameen.
Town continued to press as we raced towards the break, with Clarke going close in the forty-third minute, as he fired goal-wards from the centre of the box, but his effort sailed inches over the crossbar, leaving the scores unchanged.
Three additional minutes were added to end the first-half, during which time, Wright sent an effort high and wide of the target, moments before Town won a corner as Aden Flint turned the ball behind. Nothing would come of the flag-kick, and the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments, with Walsall leading by one-goal-to-nil.
Swindon chose to make a second change to their line-up as the teams returned, with Aaron Drinan sitting out the second-half as Paul Glatzel took his place.
Lewis Warrington was shown the yellow card, just one minute after the restart, as he was cautioned following a foul on Clarke. The resulting free-kick was taken by Wright, but his effort sailed harmlessly wide of the target.
Swindon continued to enjoy a bright start to the second-half, with Wright playing Clarke in on goal, in the forty-ninth minute, but the Town captain saw his effort denied by Roberts.
Walsall were quick to work the ball up to the other end, where Jellis played in Pressley, whose effort towards the bottom corner was saved by Ripley.
Harry Smith became the second player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul on Rico Browne, in the fifty-second minute.
Swindon chose to make a third change to their line-up, in the fifty-sixth minute, with Tom Nichols departing, allowing Jake Tabor to join the fray.
Tabor was quick to get involved in the action, crossing the ball in for Clarke, just three minutes after his introduction into the game, but the midfielders effort sailed high over the crossbar.
The Saddlers were quick to work the ball up to the other end, where a Charlie Lakin cross into the box was headed goal-wards by Pressley, but the effort sailed high and wide of the target.
Swindon created another chance to level the scores, moments later, as Glatzel set up Clarke, but his effort was blocked, before Finley Munroe's follow-up strike was also blocked.
Aaron Pressley joined those playing on a caution, in the sixty-sixth minute, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Wright.
Swindon chose to make their fourth change of the afternoon, in the sixty-sixth minute, with Tom Wilson-Brown making way for James Ball. Walsall also took the opportunity to introduce some fresh legs, with Jamie Jellis and Aaron Pressley departing in favour of Courtney Clarke and Albert Adomah.
With seventy-nine minutes on the clock, Swindon were awarded a penalty, as Browne was penalised for pulling down Smith inside the area. Wright stepped forth to take the spot-kick, and duly converted, levelling the scores.
Town almost took the lead, in the eighty-third minute, as Smith broke with the ball before playing in Glatzel, whose powerful strike from the centre of the box sailed millimetres over the crossbar.
The hosts chose to make two further changes to their line-up, in the eighty-fourth minute, with Mason Hancock and Charlie Lakin making way for Priestley Farquharson and Jake Hollman.
Seven minutes were added to end the match, following a fairly quiet spell. It took Walsall just one of those minutes, to restore their earlier lead, as the Saddlers capitalised on some lax to set Connor Barrett through on goal, with the midfielder taking full advantage as he slotted home into the bottom corner.
Swindon won a free-kick in a dangerous position, four minutes into those added, but nothing would come of it as the ball trickled harmlessly out of play.
Town thought they had levelled the scores once more, in the ninety-seventh minute, as Smith put the ball into the back of the net, but an infringement of the offside rule meant the goal would not stand.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and ten-man Walsall took all three points to open the 2025-26 campaign, winning the game by two-goals-to-one.
| WEIR (8') BARRETT (90+1') |
WRIGHT [P], (79') |
| AT | BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | OLIVER MACKEY |