Looking to bounce back from last season's disappointing Play-Off Final defeat to AFC Wimbledon, Walsall opened their 2025/26 Sky Bet League Two campaign with a home tie against Swindon Town.
The Saddlers opened the scoring with just eight minutes on the clock when Evan Weir unleashed a free-kick into the top corner of the Swindon goal, A superb way to open his account for the season.
After being reduced to ten men - Brandon Comley being shown a straight red card for a foul - the Saddlers batted hard to retain their lead, but were eventually pegged back from the spot as Will Wright slotted the ball home after referee Oliver Mackey awarded the visitors a spot-kick.
Walsall didn't allow the visitors' goal to get them down, as they battled and fought to grab a winner in second-half stoppage time, as Connor Barrett took advantage of some terrible defending to put his side back into the lead.
SKY BET LEAGUE TWO
| SADDLERS | 2-1 | SWINDON |
| WEIR (8') BARRETT (90+1') |
GOALSCORERS |
WRIGHT [P] (79') |
| CLARKE (90+1') | ASSISTS | |
| 26 | POSSESSION (%) | 74 |
| 5 | SHOTS (TOTAL) | 16 |
| 4 | SHOTS (ON TARGET) | 5 |
| 4 | GOALKEEPER SAVES | 2 |
| 1 | CORNERS | 5 |
| 13 | FOULS | 18 |
| 2 | YELLOW CARDS | 1 |
| 1 | RED CARDS | 0 |
| AT | BESCOT STADIUM |
| ATTENDANCE | 8,040 (2,169) |
| REFEREE | OLIVER MACKEY |
WALSALL
Roberts; Browne, Flint, Weir; Comley 🟥; Barrett, Lakin (Holman, 84'), Jellis (Clarke, 67'), Hancock (Farquharson, 84'); Pressley 🟨, (Adomah, 68'), Stuttle (Warrington, 23' 🟨)
Unused: Hornby; Matt
SWINDON TOWN
Ripley; Wright, Clarke, Wilson-Brown (Ball, 66'), Kilkenny (Ameen, 40'), Snowdon, Drinan (Glatzel, 46'), Munroe, Nichols (Tabor, 56'), Oldaker, Smith 🟨
Unused: Ward; Mabete, Kirkman