Walsall were back in League Two action on Saturday afternoon as they made their way to the Wham Stadium and faced Accrington Stanley, with the Saddlers looking to make it six league games without defeat.Walsall got the match underway, and both sides enjoyed spells with the ball in the early goings, without creating much of note, until the tenth minute, when Evan Weir crossed the ball to Daniel Kanu, whose strike goal-wards drew a save from Accrington shot-stopper, Ollie Wright.
Accrington were quick to work the ball up to the other end, winning a corner, as Connor Barrett turned the ball behind, though nothing would come of the move.
The Saddlers began to enjoy a brighter spell as we passed the quarter hour mark, with Aaron Pressley playing the ball to Charlie Lakin, in the sixteenth minute, with the Walsall number eight seeing his effort on goal blocked.
The visiting side continued to press, with Barrett crossing the ball to Lakin moments later, but the midfielders effort sailed over the crossbar.
The hosts went close at the other end, three minutes later, as Devon Matthews played the ball in for Isaac Sinclair, whose shot at goal was blocked, before Josh Smith fired over moments later.
Walsall soon had the ball back, winning a corner in the twenty-fifth minute, as Benn Ward turned the ball wide. Pressley crossed the ball in for Barrett, from the flag-kick, but the midfielders effort sailed wide.
Accrington felt they should have been awarded a penalty, as we reached the half hour mark, as Isaac Heath went down inside the area, but the referee was unmoved by their appeals and waved play on.
The hosts went on to win a corner a short time later, as Heath drew a save from Walsall shot-stopper, Myles Roberts, with a low effort. Nothing would come of the flag-kick though.
Things settled a little as play continued, but Stanley could have found the breakthrough, in the thirty-ninth minute, as captain, Seamus Conneely raced forwards before crossing to Charlie Brown, but his effort on goal trickled wide of the near post.
Walsall won a late corner, as Joe Bauress turned the ball behind, but nothing would come of it, and after one additional minute was played, the referee brought an end to the first-half, with the scores tied at the break.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and Accrington got the action back underway. Both sides took some time to settle back into the contest, enjoying spells with the ball without creating anything of note.
The Saddlers went close to opening the scoring, in the fifty-second minute, as Kanu raced through on goal before sending an effort in, but Wright was alert to the danger, getting a foot to it to deny him.
Aden Flint became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned in the fifty-third minute, following a foul on Charlie Caton.
Walsall chose to make their first changes of the afternoon, in the fifty-eighth minute, with Ryan Finnigan and Lewis Warrington departing, in favour of Courtney Clarke and Brandon Comley.
The Saddlers won a corner, in the sixty-second minute, as Matthews turned a Kanu cross behind. The recently introduced Clarke crossed the ball in from the flag-kick, for Flint, who headed home from close range to secure his first goal in a Walsall shirt.
Stanley looked to respond, five minutes later, with Brown crossing the ball in for Conneely, but the captains strike from the centre of the box was blocked.
The hosts continued to press, as they sought to draw level, but Caton's low strike from twenty yards out sailed narrowly wide of the upright.
Walsall won a free-kick in a dangerous position, fifteen minutes from time, from which Weir crossed the ball in, with Wright punching clear. The hosts failed to fully clear the danger though, and Kanu crossed the ball back in for Pressley, who headed home from close range to double the Saddlers advantage.
Accrington responded to falling further behind by making their first changes of the game, with Seamus Conneely, Joe Bauress and Josh Woods making way for Liam Coyle, Alex Henderson and Anjola Popoola.
The hosts looked to pull a goal back, in the seventy-ninth minute, with Brown crossing a promising ball in for the recently introduced Henderson, but his strike from close range was denied by Roberts.
Walsall chose to make another change to their line-up, ten minutes from time, with Aaron Pressley departing, as Albert Adomah took his place.
Things settled as play continued, with Walsall ensuring their hosts were unable to get back into the game.
With two minutes left to play, Walsall introduced their final substitutes, with Daniel kanu and Charlie Lakin making way for Jamille Matt and Rico Richards.
Five additional minutes were added to end the match, and just one minute into them, Stanley pulled a goal back, making a game of it, as Brown crossed the ball into the area for Caton, who headed home from close range.
Walsall put the game to bed though two minutes later, as Adomah latched onto a ball forwards and raced towards goal, spotting Wright off his line, and kept his cool to fire home.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the game was brought to its conclusion with Walsall winning by three-goals-to-one. A good display from the travelling side, who took their chances well.
| CATON (90+2') |
FLINT (62') PRESSLEY (75') ADOMAH (90+3') |
| AT | WHAM STADIUM |
| REFEREE | ROSS JOYCE |