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Walsall were back in Sky Bet League Two action on Saturday afternoon as they welcomed Barrow to the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium, with both sides looking to extend their unbeaten runs.Barrow saw much of the early ball, but four minutes into the contest, Walsall won a corner when Ben Whitfield turned the ball out of play, however, nothing would come of the flag-kick as the ball into the area was cleared. Another Walsall corner followed moments later, as Michael Jordan Williams turned the ball behind, but nothing would come of that either.
Things settled, and Barrow continued to see much of the ball, however, seven minutes in, Walsall felt they should have been awarded a penalty as during another corner routine, Aden Flint was pulled down, but the referee was unmoved by their appeals and waved play on, and nothing would come of the flag-kick either, as Evan Weir's cross found Jamie Jellis, whose effort on goal was blocked.
The visiting side continued to see plenty of the ball as play continued, and could have opened the scoring fifteen minutes in, as Lewis Shipley played the ball in for Tyler Walker, but the strikers effort sailed narrowly wide of the upright, shortly before Connor Mahoney fired wide.
The hosts soon had the ball up at the other end, where Jellis crossed the ball in for Flint, who headed goal-wards but missed the target. The Saddlers went on to win another corner moments later, but they were unable to take full advantage.
Lewis Shipley bacame the first player to draw the attentions of the referee, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Jellis, twenty-three minutes into the contest.
The Saddlers were briefly reduced to ten men, as play continued, whilst Flint received attention for a nose bleed, but he was soon able to rejoin the action.
With thirty-one minutes on the clock, Barrow opened the scoring, as Walker headed the ball into the path of Whitfield, who combined with Mahoney to play the ball in towards the back post for Newby to turn home from close range.
Connor Mahoney became the second player to be shown the yellow card, as he was cautioned, in the thirty-ninth minute, following a foul on Daniel Kanu.
Walsall looked to level the scores as we neared the break, with Weir playing the ball in for Vincent Harper, but his effort from outside the area was blocked.
There was a brief halt to proceedings in the forty-fourth minute, allowing Walker to receive attention from the Barrow medical team, but he was soon able to rejoin the action as play resumed.
Two additional minutes were added to end the first-half, during which there was little further action of note, and the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments, with Barrow leading by one-goal-to-nil at the break.
Barrow chose to make their first change of the afternoon as the teams returned, with Tyler Walker sitting out the second-half, as Kane Hemmings took his place as the side got the action back underway.
The Saddlers began the second-half brightly, seeing much of the ball, though they were unable to create much to trouble the visiting defenders.
Mat Sadler opted to make his first change of the afternoon, ten minutes into the half, with Vincent Harper being replaced by Jid Okeke.
Barrow were reduced to ten men, in the fifty-sixth minute, as Lewis Shipley picked up his second yellow card of the game and was given his marching orders, following a foul on Kanu.
The resulting free-kick was played short and Connor Barrett fired a low effort in on goal, but Barrow 'keeper, Wyll Stanway was on hand to turn the ball behind, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
Barrow chose to make a second change to their line-up, in the fifty-ninth minute, with Isaac Fletcher making way for Charlie McCann.
Walsall set about looking to level the scores, and went close in the sixty-fourth minute, as Weir crossed the ball in for Courtney Clarke, whose effort from outside the box was saved by Stanway, moments before Okeke played crossed into the area for Kanu, who was unable to find the target, sending the ball wide.
Just four minutes later, Barrow doubled their advantage, as Whitfield broke following a Walsall corner, before crossing to McCann who found space and slipped the ball past Saddlers shot-stopper, Myles Roberts.
Courtney Clarke was shown the yellow card, twenty minutes from time, as he was cautioned following a foul on Rekeem Harper.
Both sides chose to make changes after that, with Barrow replacing Ben Whitfield and Connor Mahoney with Tom Barkhuizen and Scott Smith, whilst Walsall chose to take off Jamie Jellis, Connor Barrett and Lewis Warrington, in favour of Ryan Finnigan, Albert Adomah and Charlie Lakin.
The changes paid dividends for Walsall, as a seventy-fourth minute cross into the box from Adomah was turned home at close range by Kanu to reduce the deficit.
The hosts continued to press, with Okeke latching onto a cross from Weir, in the seventy-sixth minute, before firing narrowly wide. They soon had the ball back in the box, courtesy of Adomah, but Finnigan was unable to find the target from close range.
Unperturbed, the Saddlers continued to press, with Kanu playing the ball in for Lakin, in the seventy-eighth minute, though his effort from outside the box sailed high and wide of the target. Walsall then saw another chance go begging, three minutes later, as Weir crossed the ball to Kanu, who fired goal-wards from outside the area, narrowly missing the target.
Walsall continued to test the Barrow defences, with Aaron Pressley crossing the ball in for Kanu, in the eighty-seventh minute, but Stanway was alert to the danger and made a save to deny him, moments before Clarke fired an effort in, which the Barrow 'keeper was also equal to, with the resulting corner being headed wide by Pressley.
In the eighty-eighth minute, Barrow chose to make a final change to their line-up, with Elliot Newby making way for David Worrall.
Six additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time, Rekeem Harper joined those playing on a caution, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Clarke. The resulting free-kick coming to nothing, as Weir fired narrowly wide.
There was little further action of note, and the game was brought to its conclusion with Barrow winning by two-goals-to-one. A poor result for the Saddlers who failed to break down their opposition defences, try as they might.
| KANU (74') |
NEWBY (31') McCANN (68') |
| AT | BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | BEN SPEEDIE |