Walsall Under-18s were back in action on Friday morning as they played host to Chesterfield in their latest EFL Youth Alliance North outing of the new campaign.Taking place at the Birmingham FA's headquarters on Ray Hall Lane in Great Barr, the Saddlers were looking to rebound from a narrow 4-3 defeat to Port Vale and get back to winning ways.
WALSALL TEAM
Barber; Harris, Roberts, Pawlowski, Oliver, Straw, Oben, Thomas, Teesdale, Etheridge, Makavore
Substitutes: Wain, Coulson, Bunn, Kandemiri, Ben Hamed
The teams cancelled each other out for the opening quarter of the game, with neither 'keeper beaten, though some promising attacks were created but never executed.
The first save of note came shortly before the thirty-minute mark when Dylan Thomas found Will Etheridge in acres of space inside the area, though he was only able to force a save out of the goalkeeper at that time.
The opening goal of the game also went the way of Ryan Simmonds' side, as captain Stan Straw continued his fine goal-scoring run with a powerful header at the back post some twelve minutes before the break.
Unfortunately, that would be Straw's last real contribution, as he was replaced by Jaden Kandemiri before the match reached the half-time break.
Walsall's lead lasted until midway through the second-half before the visitors managed to get back on level terms, this triggered a hive of activity on the sidelines as the Saddlers made a handful of changes.
Manager Simmonds saw fit to replace Marley Roberts, Paul Makavore, and Will Etheridge with Levi Wain, Archie Bunn, and Tyler Coulson as he looked to get his side back into the lead.
Sadly, the changes did little to alter the trajectory of the game, as the visitors went on to take the lead late in the game, giving Walsall their second defeat in as many games. A disappointing result for the youngsters.
| STRAW | |
| AT | RAY HALL LANE |