Attention turned to cup action on Tuesday evening as Walsall made their way to Shropshire and took on Shrewsbury in their first outing of the EFL Trophy group stage.Walsall began the game brightly, seeing much of the ball in the early goings, before opening the scoring just five minutes into the contest, as Ryan Finnigan picked up a loose ball and, under pressure, found the bottom corner.
Shrewsbury looked to restore parity quickly, winning a free-kick in a promising position just two minutes after the Walsall goal. Aristote Nsiala headed the ball on from the set-piece, for Will Boyle, whose hooked effort goal-wards connected with the crossbar.
Just five minutes after Walsall had taken the lead, Shrewsbury levelled, as former Saddler, Malvind Benning crossed the ball in for Bradley Ihionvien to head home from close range.
The hosts continued to press, with Ismeal Kabia playing the ball into the box, for Harrison Biggins, moments later, but the midfielder was unable to find the target, sending the ball high and wide.
Town continued to enjoy a bright spell of play as the game continued, winning a corner fifteen minutes in, as Courtney Clarke turned the ball behind, with a second following moments later, as Brandon Comley turned the ball in out of play, though that was cleared by the Saddlers defences.
Things then settled a little, with both sides content to keep the action centred in the midfield area, until the hosts worked the ball forwards again, in the twenty-fifth minute, with Kabia firing goal-wards after Priestley Farquharson gave the ball away cheaply on the edge of the area, but Walsall shot-stopper, Sam Hornby was alert to the danger and made what was ultimately an easy save.
Ryan Finnigan became the first player to draw the attentions of the referee, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Kabia, twenty-seven minutes in.
The home team could have doubled their tally for the evening, in the twenty-eighth minute, as the ball was pulled back into the path of Tommy McDermott, whose strike from outside the box looked destined to find the bottom corner, but for a well placed Rico Browne who cleared off the line.
Brandon Comley became the second player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul on McDermott, in the thirty-first minute.
The hosts went close again, in the thirty-second minute, as McDermott fired goal-wards from outside the box, forcing another save from Hornby. The resulting corner came to nothing as the ball fell to McDermott, who saw his strike blocked.
There was a brief halt to proceedings following that, allowing Hornby to receive attention from the Saddlers medical team, but he was soon back to his feet and play resumed.
Walsall enjoyed a brighter spell late in the first-half, with Albert Adomah breaking free of his marker, in the thirty-ninth minute, before crossing the ball in towards the back post where Jamille Matt was waiting to meet it, with his initial header being blocked before he struck the side netting with a follow-up effort.
There was another pause in play in the final of the opening forty-five minutes, allowing the physio to attend to Priestley Farquharson, who was unable to rejoin the fray. Stan Straw was brought on to take his place as we entered a minimum of four additional minutes.
The Shrews went close to taking a lead, three minutes into those added, but McDermott's powerful strike from twenty-five yards out struck the crossbar.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the sides headed off to regroup, with the scores level at the break.
The teams returned unchanged following the break, and Shrewsbury got the action back underway. Walsall began the second-half brightly, with Finnigan playing the ball into the path of Adomah, just two minutes after the restart, but Shrewsbury shot-stopper, Will Brook got down well to deny him.
The hosts had soon worked the ball up to the other end, where they won a corner, as Straw turned the ball behind, though nothing would come of the flag-kick.
Shrewsbury continued to press, with McDermott seeing an effort from outside the box saved by Hornby, in the fifty-third minute.
There was a brief pause in proceedings, in the fifty-eighth minute, allowing Aristote Nsiala to receive attention from the Shrews medical staff. It was soon determined he would fine to continue, and play resumed.
Walsall chose to make a double change to their line-up, in the sixty-third minute, with Brandon Comley and Ryan Finnigan making way for McLloyd Oben and Jid Okeke.
Ronan Maher picked up the first yellow card of the second period, in the sixty-seventh minute, as he was cautioned after kicking the ball away.
The Saddlers re-established their earlier lead, seconds after the booking, as Adomah pounced on a poor pass from Luca Hoole, and coolly slotted past Brook, into the bottom corner.
Shrewsbury opted to make a triple change, in the seventy-third minute, with Isaac England, Bradley Ihionvien and Ismeal Kabia all making way, as Taylor Perry, John Marquis and Callum Stewart joined the fray.
Will Boyle joined those playing on a caution, fifteen minutes from time, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Clarke.
The Saddlers almost added to their tally, in the seventy-seventh minute, as Adomah crossed a low ball in for Maher, whose effort was deflected narrowly over the crossbar, onto the roof of the net, moments before a Jake Hollman free-kick was deflected inches over the bar.
Ten minutes from time, Walsall all but put the game to bed, as Adomah pounced on a loose pass from Marquis and played the ball into the path of debutant, Okeke, who slotted the ball past Brook from a tight angle.
There was another halt to proceedings after the goal, allowing Aristote Nsiala to receive attention from the medical staff. It was soon determined that he would be unable to continue, and his place was filled by Thomas Sang, as Harrison Biggins was also substituted, with Will Gray taking his spot.
Three minutes from time, Walsall chose to make their final change of the evening, with Albert Adomah making way for Charlie Wragg.
Seven additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time, Will Gray joined those playing on a caution, as the yellow card was brandished in his direction following a foul on Okeke. The resulting free-kick coming to nothing.
That would prove to be the final action of note, as the game was brought to its conclusion with Walsall winning by three-goals-to-one. A decent display from the Saddlers, who withstood the pressure from their opposition well, and took their chances when they came.
| IHIONVIEN (10') |
FINNIGAN (5') ADOMAH (67') OKEKE (80') |
| AT | CROUD MEADOW |
| REFEREE | DECLAN BOURNE |