Walsall returned to cup action on Tuesday evening as they welcomed Northampton Town to the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium for their latest Vertu Trophy group game.Walsall began the game brightly, creating the first chance of the evening just two minutes into the contest, as Albert Adomah crossed the ball to Rico Browne, who fired goal-wards from outside the box and saw his effort sail over the crossbar.
Things settled after that, with Walsall continuing to see much of the early ball, though they were unable to create anything further of note. The hosts did win a corner, in the thirteenth minute, as Jordan Thorniley turned the ball out of play, but nothing would come of it.
Northampton grew into the game as it continued, winning a free-kick in the twenty-third minute, as Evan Weir fouled Joe Wormleighton. Michael Jacobs crossed the ball into the box from the set-piece, for Kamarai Simon-Swyer, whose header back across goal was cleared by the Walsall defences.
The visiting side won another free-kick, on the edge of the area, in the twenty-sixth minute, as Jid Okeke pulled the shirt of Jacobs. Dean Campbell played the ball into a crowded penalty area, finding Thorniley, with the help of a deflection off Jamie Jellis, but the defenders close range effort missed the target.
There was then a brief halt to proceedings, allowing Walsall shot-stopper, Sam Hornby to receive treatment. He was soon back on his feet though and play resumed.
As we reached the half hour mark, the Saddlers created a chance to open the scoring, as a good ball into the box from Browne, found the head of Jellis, who nodded narrowly wide.
The game settled into something of a midfield battle as it continued, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball, without creating anything to test their opposition defences.
Town could have opened the scoring, in the forty-first minute, as Jack Perkins crossed the ball into the box for Jacobs, but his effort on goal was blocked.
The visiting side continued to press, winning a free-kick in the forty-third minute, as Wormleighton was fouled by Okeke. The ball into the box caused a scramble, but it was eventually turned away by the Saddlers backline.
Two additional minutes were added to end the first-half, but despite testing the Walsall defence again with another free-kick, the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with the scores still tied.
Both teams chose to make changes as they returned, with Walsall's Brandon Comley, Priestley Farquharson and Jamie Jellis sitting out the second-half, as their places were filled by Stan Straw, Jake Hollman and Ryan Finnigan. While for Northampton, Dean Campbell, Jack Vale, Jordan Thorniley and Cameron McGeehan made way for Terry Taylor, Elliott List, Nesta Guinness-Walker and Tyrese Fornah.
Walsall began the second-half brightly, with Adomah forcing a save from Northampton goalkeeper, Ross Fitzsimons, just four minutes after the restart.
There was a brief halt to proceedings in the fiftieth minute, allowing Elliott List to receive attention from the Northampton medical team. It was soon determined that he would be unable to play any further part, and his place was filled by Sam Hoskins.
Conor McCarthy became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned in the fifty-third minute, following a foul on Rico Richards.
Northampton won a free-kick on the edge of the area, in the sixty-third minute, as Sam Hoskins was fouled by Straw. Hoskins initial effort into a crowded penalty box was turned away by the wall, before Taylor's follow-up effort was denied by Hornby.
Walsall opted to make two further changes to their line-up, in the sixty-sixth minute, with Evan Weir and Jamille Matt making way for Ronan Maher and McLloyd Oben.
The Saddlers could have opened the scoring, in the seventy-third minute, as Adomah and Richards combined to work the ball to Maher, but his shot on goal was well saved by Fitzsimons.
Northampton were quick to work the ball up to the other end, where Fornah crossed to Jacobs, whose curling strike goal-wards sailed narrowly wide of the upright.
Sam Hornby became the second player to see yellow, after clattering into Wormleighton, in the seventy-eighth minute. The resulting free-kick came to nothing as Jacobs failed to find the target.
Ronan Maher joined his goalkeeper in the referee's notebook, just four minutes later, as he was shown the yellow card, also for a foul on Wormleighton.
With just two minutes of the ninety still to play, Northampton found the breakthrough, as Taylor picked out Swyer, who fired goal-wards from outside the box, finding the top corner to break the deadlock.
Four additional minutes were added to end the match, and the Saddlers could have levelled two minutes into them as a long ball found Adomah, whose effort from a tight angle found the top of the crossbar.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the game was brought to its conclusion with Northampton winning by one-goal-to-nil.
| SIMON-SWYER (88') | |
| AT | BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | RICHARD ELEY |