Walsall made their way to Highbury Stadium on Saturday afternoon as they took on Fleetwood Town in Sky Bet League Two.Walsall began the game brightly, winning a free-kick in a promising position just two minutes into the contest as Daniel Kanu was fouled by Mark Helm; Evan Weir fired the set-piece goal-wards, but his effort sailed narrowly over the crossbar.
The Saddlers continued to enjoy a good spell early on, seeing plenty of the ball and winning the first corner of the match, nine minutes in, as Ryan Graydon turned the ball behind. Nothing would come of the flag-kick, however, as Weir's ball in was met by Aden Flint, whose header from a tight angle narrowly missed the target.
Fleetwood began to grow into the contest after that, with Jordan Davies going close with an effort from outside the box, in the thirteenth minute.
The hosts won a corner fifteen minutes into the game, from which Davies crossed the ball in, with Walsall failing to clear the danger, allowing Ryan Graydon to head home to open the scoring.
Walsall sought to respond quickly to falling a goal behind, with Aaron Pressley playing the ball into the path of Kanu, in the eighteenth minute, but the striker was unable to make the most of the chance as he scuffed his effort wide.
With twenty-five minutes on the clock, Walsall had more luck in front of goal, as a long throw from Weir was played on for Kanu, who fired past Fleetwood 'keeper, Jay Lynch from close range.
Things settled a little after the goal, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball, without creating much to trouble their opposition defences.
James Bolton became the first player to see his name added to the referee's notebook, as he was cautioned following a foul on Ryan Finnigan, in the thirty-seventh minute.
There was little further action of note, and after one additional minute was played, the first-half was brought to a close, with the scores level at the break.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and the action resumed. The second-half started as a fairly even affair, with both sides enjoying time with the ball without creating anything that would really test their opposition defences, although Fleetwood did win a corner in the fifty-first minute as Connor Barrett put the ball out of play, but that would come to nothing.
Vincent Harper became the second player to see yellow, as he was cautioned in the fifty-sixth minute, following a foul on Shaun Rooney.
Fleetwood won another corner, in the fifty-seventh minute, as a Davies curling free-kick was pushed over by Walsall shot-stopper, Myles Roberts. The flag-kick came to nothing, but the hosts continued to press, with James Norwood playing in Helm, moments later, but his strike from outside the area was blocked.
The Saddlers won a corner at the other end, in the sixty-second minute, from which Pressley saw an effort blocked, before Barrett headed the ball on for Lewis Warrington, whose shot from outside the box collided with the woodwork.
Walsall chose to make their first changes of the afternoon, in the sixty-sixth minute, with Lewis Warrington and Ryan Finnigan making way for Brandon Comley and Rico Richards.
There was a brief halt to proceedings, in the sixty-seventh minute, allowing Helm to receive attention, but he was soon able to rejoin the action.
The visiting side continued to press once play resumed, with Harper playing in Pressley, but the striker was unable to find the target as his effort on goal was blocked.
Twenty minutes from time, Town opted to make their first change of the afternoon, with Shaun Rooney making way for Ethan Ennis.
The hosts won a free-kick in a promising position, in the seventy-first minute, from which Davies crossed the ball into the box for Zech Medley, whose effort on goal sailed wide of the target.
Walsall had soon worked the ball back to the other end, where Richards saw an effort from outside the box saved by Lynch, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
Twelve minutes from time, Fleetwood chose to make a triple substitution, with James Norwood, Ryan Graydon and Mark Helm departing, as their places were filled by Will Davies, Ched Evans and Harrison Neal.
The Saddlers also took the opportunity to bring on some fresh legs, as Daniel Kanu and Aaron Pressley were replaced by Albert Adomah and Jamille Matt.
Things settled into something of a midfield battle as we entered the final ten minutes of the match, with neither side able to create anything further to test their opposition defences, although Barrett did see a headed effort blocked in the eighty-ninth minute.
There was a pause in play, allowing Courtney Clarke to receive attention from the Walsall medical team, as the board was raised to indicate a minimum of four additional minutes would be played. It was soon determined that he would be unable to see out the game, and Jid Okeke was brought on in his place.
The hosts created a chance to take all three points, three minutes into added time, but Ennis' strike from the centre of the box sailed wide.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the game was brought to its conclusion with the scores tied, at one-goal-apiece. A decent point on the road for the Saddlers.
| GRAYDON (16') | KANU (25') |
| AT | HIGHBURY STADIUM |
| REFEREE | NEIL HAIR |