Walsall were looking to make it four league wins in a row when they made their way to Broadfield Stadium where they took on Crawley Town in their latest outing of the 2025/26 League Two campaign.Crawley began the game brightly, working the ball into the danger zone inside the opening minute, before a foul on the edge of the area left them calling for a penalty, the referee was unmoved by their appeals though and waved play on.
Walsall were quick to work the ball up to the other end, where Daniel Kanu played the ball through for Aaron Pressley, whose strike from distance was tipped over the crossbar by Crawley 'keeper, Jojo Wollacott. The resulting corner coming to nothing.
The hosts were soon testing the Walsall defences again, with Dion Pereira firing an effort in on goal from the centre of the box, in the fourth minute, but Saddlers shot-stopper, Myles Roberts was equal to it.
Town were awarded an early penalty, just three minutes after their initial appeals for one, as Max Anderson drew a foul from Rico Browne inside the area. Harry McKirdy stepped forth to take the spot-kick, but Roberts got to it to save. The resulting corner coming to nothing.
The hosts continued to press, going close again in the eighth minute, as Ryan Loft crossed the ball to Pereira, whose curling effort from outside the box sailed high over the crossbar.
By the twelfth minute, the Saddlers had worked the ball back up to the other end, winning a corner, as Josh Flint turned the ball out of play. Nothing would come of the flag-kick, as Browne's headed effort goal-wards was blocked.
Things settled just a little after that, with both sides seeing spells with the ball, but eighteen minutes in, the hosts found themselves in shooting range again, with Pereira crossing the ball in for McKirdy, whose effort on goal was blocked.
The hosts continued to press, with Josh Flint crossing the ball into the box, for Kabongo Tshimanga, in the twentieth minute, but the strikers effort was easily saved by Roberts.
Walsall were awarded a free-kick in a promising position in the twenty-fourth minute, as Pressley was fouled by Tshimanga. Courtney Clarke's long ball in towards the far post was good, but Connor Barrett's stretching effort looped over the bar.
Things settled a little as play continued, with both sides enjoyed spells with the ball, without creating anything to really trouble their opposition.
With thirty-two minutes on the clock, Crawley found the breakthrough, as McKirdy crossed the ball in towards the back post, for an unmarked Ryan Loft, who was waiting to nod home to open the scoring.
The hosts could have doubled their advantage just two minutes later, as Josh Flint crossed the ball back into the box for Charlie Barker, whose effort goal-wards was well saved by Roberts.
Courtney Clarke became the first player to draw the attentions of the referee, as he was cautioned following a foul on Gavan Holohan, in the thirty-seventh minute.
The resulting free-kick was crossed into the box by Pereira, for Barker, whose header goal-wards sailed over the crossbar.
Walsall were quick to work the ball up to the other end, courtesy of a long kick from Roberts, but Kanu was unable to find the target with an effort from outside the box that sailed high and wide.
Max Anderson became the second player to see yellow, in the forty-fifth minute, as he was cautioned for a pull back on Kanu.
Three additional minutes were added to end the first-half, during which time the Saddlers won a corner, as a low effort from Clarke was turned behind by Wollacott. Nothing would come of the flag-kick though, and Crawley were eventually able to work the ball clear.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with Crawley leading by one-goal-to-nil at the break.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and the action got back underway. The second-half got off to a bit of a scrappy start, with a number of early fouls from both sides.
There was a brief halt to proceedings, in the fifty-first minute, allowing Harry McKirdy to receive some attention. It was soon determined he would be fine to continue, and play resumed.
Walsall levelled the scores, in the fifty-third minute, as Barrett collected the ball, drifted inside and unleashed a strike from the edge of the area, which found its way into the far corner. A superb display of individual skill.
Crawley looked to restore their earlier lead, in the fifty-seventh minute, with Pereira playing the ball in for McKirdy, whose effort on goal was denied by Roberts, with Evan Weir blocking Loft's follow up strike on the line. The resulting corner came to nothing, as Pereira's cross in was headed over by Loft.
The Saddlers soon had the ball back at the other end, where Kanu drew a save from Wollacott, winning his side a corner, which came to nothing as the hosts walked away with a free-kick.
The visiting side won a corner in the sixty-seventh minute, as a promising cross into the box was turned behind by Scott Malone. Nothing would come of the flag-kick, however, as the ball in was smothered by Wollacott.
Eighteen minutes from time, Walsall chose to make their first changes of the afternoon, with Daniel Kanu and Brandon Comley making way for Albert Adomah and Ryan Finnigan.
Three minutes later, Crawley chose to make their first substitution of the game, with Dion Pereira departing, as Harry Forster took his place.
Walsall could have taken the lead, in the seventy-eighth minute, as Jellis crossed the ball to Weir, whose strike from outside the box sailed narrowly wide of the upright.
In the seventy-ninth minute, the Saddlers chose to make two further changes to their line-up, with Jamie Jellis and Charlie Lakin being replaced by Rico Richards and Jid Okeke.
The hosts also took the opportunity to introduce more fresh legs, with Kabongo Tshimanga making way for Louie Watson.
Ryan Finnigan joined those playing on a caution, just seven minutes after his introduction into the game, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Holohan.
The Saddlers won a corner, in the eighty-third minute, as Barker turned the ball out of play, however, nothing would come of the set-piece as the ball in was cleared and the return blocked.
Walsall continued to press, and could have taken the lead, in the eighty-seventh minute, but Aden Flint's overhead kick trickled wide.
Both sides then chose to make a further change to their respective line-up's; Walsall replacing a visibly tired, Courtney Clarke with Priestley Farquharson, whilst Crawley took Harry McKirdy off, with Louis Flower taking his place.
As we reached the hour mark, the hosts found themselves in position to score, but Holohan's effort from outside the box sailed high and wide of the target.
Five additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time, Scott Malone joined those playing on a caution, as he was shown the yellow card for dissent.
There was little further action of note, and the game was brought to its conclusion, with the scores still tied. A decent point on the road for the Saddlers.
| LOFT (32') | BARRETT (53') |
| AT | BROADFIELD STADIUM |
| REFEREE | ALAN YOUNG |