Taking place at the Latics' Brick Community Stadium, Walsall were hoping to continue their recent spell of form that has seen them keep a string of clean-sheets across a variety of competitions.After defeating AFC Dunstable in the First Round, Ryan Simmonds' young Saddlers were up against strong opposition in the form of Wigan Athletic.
WIGAN ATHLETIC TEAM
Taylor; Z.Edwards, Wesseldine, S.Spellman, Goulding, Cavanagh, Reci, Gilbertson, Reci, C.Hughes, Hagan, Gelhardt
Subs: Knight, Pugh, Cairns, Adaji, Clague, Miller, L.Edwards
WALSALL TEAM
Barber; Harris, Roberts, Oliver, Pawlowski, Straw, Bunn, Webb, Makavore, Etheridge, Oben
Subs: Hamilton-Wright; Batham, Teesdale, Wain, Nash, Worrall, Hunt
Wigan Athletic got the game underway, but it was the young Saddlers who created the first real opening of the game when Will Etheridge was in one-on-one with Latics goalkeeper Rohan Taylor, sadly, Will could only guide an effort wide as the score remained tied.
The first goal of the game didn't arrive until the early stages of the second half, and went the way of the hosts when Charlie Hughes got on the end of Mason Goulding's whipped cross before crashing a header beyond Walsall goalkeeper Harrison Barer and into the back of the net.
The home side were soon back on the attack and could have doubled their lead when Charlie Wesseldine sent a pass into the feet of Lucas Hagan, but he could only find the woodwork as Walsall scrambled the ball away.
The Saddlers were not without their chances, and went close via the foot of Will Etheridge as, following a foul on Paul Makavore that saw Seb Spellman booked, he saw a free-kick fly just wide of the Wigan goal.
The Saddlers made their first changes of the contest with eighteen minutes remaining, with Olly Nash and Levi Wain replacing Marley Roberts and Archie Bunn.
Sadly, the changes couldn't divert the course of the contest as Wigan went on to double their lead with around twelve minutes of the game remaining when Dan Gelhardt capped off a Latics counter-attack to slip the ball past a wrong-footed Barber and into the back of the net.
Walsall made another couple of changes as the clock ticked down, as Finn Teesdale took the place of Sam Oliver before Lincoln Hunt replaced Louie Webb.
There were no further goals, or chances of note, as the young Saddlers' FA Youth Cup competition ended at the Second Round stage.
| C.HUGHES (48') GELHARDT (78') |
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| REFEREE | ADEWUNMI SONEYE |
| AT | BRICK COMMUNITY STADIUM |