Walsall were back in action on Saturday afternoon as they took on Notts County at Meadow Lane, with the Saddlers looking to secure their place at the top of the table for Christmas.Walsall got the match underway, but it was Notts County who enjoyed the brighter start to the game, winning a corner in the third minute as Connor Barrett turned the ball behind, though nothing would come of the flag-kick.
The hosts continued to press, with Tom Iorpenda setting up Keanan Bennetts, in the fifth minute, but the winger was unable to find the target, sending his effort from distance wide.
Things settled a little after that, but twelve minutes in, the hosts were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position, following a foul on Nick Tsaroulla, nothing would come of the opportunity though, as Walsall shot-stopper, Myles Roberts gathered.
The Saddlers had soon worked the ball up to the other end, as Bennetts gave the ball away to Daniel Kanu, who drove forwards before firing a low strike in on goal. County 'keeper, Kelle Roos got down well to keep the effort out, with Jacob Bedeau then clearing, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
Ryan Finnigan became the first player to draw the attentions of the referee, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Iorpenda in the sixteenth minute.
County won a couple of corners, in the twenty-second minute, as Evan Weir and Finnigan turned efforts on goal behind, with the second seeing Bennetts ball in turned wide by Oliver Norburn, allowing the Saddlers a moment to breathe, before the hosts came again, with Norburn firing an effort over the crossbar in the twenty-sixth minute.
There was a brief halt to proceedings, in the twenty-seventh minute, allowing Roberts to receive attention from the Walsall medics, he was soon back on his feet though and play resumed.
A quieter spell followed, during which, County continued to see much of the ball, without creating anything of note, but Conor Grant did have a chance to open the scoring in the thirty-ninth minute, as he latched onto a Matthew Dennis cross, however, Roberts was alert to the danger and got down well to make the save.
Three additional minutes were added to end the first-half, but there was little further action of note, and the sides headed off at the break with the scores still tied.
Both teams opted to make a change as they returned, as Notts County replaced Keanan Bennetts with Jodi Jones, whilst Walsall's Jamille Matt sat out the second-half, allowing Aaron Pressley to take his spot.
The second-half got off to a slower start, with little early action of note. But ten minutes in, the Walsall bench opted to make two further changes to their line-up, with Ryan Finnigan and Lewis Warrington making way for Jamie Jellis and Brandon Comley.
Walsall looked brighter than they had during the first-half, and could have opened the scoring in the fifty-eighth minute, as Barrett crossed a promising ball into the box, but it sailed over the head of his teammate, allowing Roos to gather.
At the other end, moments later, a cross into the box from Jones was headed into the air by Aden Flint before falling to Dennis, who turned the ball goal-wards only to see Roberts deny him, with the resulting corner eventually finding Dennis again, but he turned the ball wide.
Walsall chose to make their fourth change of the afternoon, in the sixty-fourth minute, as Charlie Lakin made way for Courtney Clarke. County also took the opportunity to introduce some fresh legs, as Nick Tsaroulla was replaced by Kellan Gordon.
Notts County saw much of the ball as play continued, as they had throughout the game, but they struggled to make it tell.
There was a brief halt to proceedings in the sixty-eighth minute, allowing Priestley Farquharson a moment after appearing to pull a hamstring, but he was soon able to rejoin the fray.
Conor Grant became the second player to see his name taken by the referee, as he was cautioned following a foul on Clarke, twenty minutes from time.
The hosts won a corner in the seventy-second minute, as Flint turned a Dennis shot behind, but nothing would come of the flag-kick, as Lewis Macari fired high and wide.
It was soon determined that Priestley Farquharson would be unable to continue, and he was replaced by Rico Browne in the seventy-third minute. The home side also took the opportunity to make another change to their line-up, with Conor Grant making way for former Saddler, Maziar Kouhyar.
Connor Barrett became the third player to see his name added to the referee's notebook, as he was cautioned following a foul on Jones, in the seventy-sixth minute.
The hosts continued to see much of the ball as play continued, though they were unable to create anything to further test the Walsall defences.
The Magpies could have opened the scoring after a few forays into the box, in the eighty-fifth minute, but Dennis' effort from outside the area was well held by Roberts.
At the other end, four minutes later, the Saddlers saw a chance to win it go begging, as Jellis played in Jid Okeke, whose strike from outside the area sailed narrowly wide of the target.
Four additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time, Kouhyar attempted to find the target from a tight angle, but Roberts got down to smother.
County won a late corner as Flint turned the ball out of play, but nothing would come of it, and the game was brought to its conclusion with the score unchanged. A decent point on the road for the Saddlers, who saw little of the ball throughout.
| AT | MEADOW LANE |
| REFEREE | STEVEN COPELAND |