Walsall were back in League Two action on Boxing Day as they welcomed Crewe Alexandra to the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium.Crewe Alexandra got the action underway, and two minutes into the contest they won the first corner of the afternoon, as Connor Barrett turned the ball behind, but nothing would come of the set-piece, as Walsall shot-stopper, Myles Roberts gathered.
Things settled after that, with Crewe seeing much of the early ball, before Walsall grew into the game a little more, with neither creating anything to trouble their opposition defences.
Nine minutes in, the Saddlers created the first real chance of the game, as Brandon Comley chanced his arm from range, but Crewe 'keeper, Sam Waller was alert to the danger and made the save.
In the twelfth minute, Crewe won their second corner of the game, as Aden Flint headed the ball behind to prevent a dangerous cross into the box being turned home, but they were unable to make use of it and Walsall came away with the ball, with Evan Weir seeing an effort blocked at the other end moments later.
Walsall won a free-kick in a promising position, in the eighteenth minute, from which Flint headed on for Rico Browne, whose acrobatic overhead effort sailed well wide of the target.
The hosts continued to press, with Jamie Jellis combining with Barrett to set up Vincent Harper, but the midfielders effort was well saved by Waller, and the visitors had soon worked the ball up to the other end, where Tommi O'Reilly played in Max Sanders, whose strike from outside the area sailed high and wide.
The game continued as something of a midfield battle, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball, without creating anything of note going forwards.
Things remained so, as we raced towards the break, with neither side threatening the others goal, as they cancelled one another out, although, in the forty-second minute, Crewe did win a free-kick in a dangerous position, on the edge of the area, but the Saddlers extinguished any threat and came away with the ball.
One additional minute was added to end the first-half, during which time, Walsall won a free-kick in a dangerous position, as James Connolly fouled Jamille Matt. Weir's ball in found the head of Flint, whose effort on goal was parried into the path of Matt, who tapped home from close range to open the scoring.
That would prove to be the final action of note, as the referee called time on the first-half; the sides heading back to their respective dressing rooms with Walsall leading by one-goal-to-nil, as the two managers altered their half-time team talks accordingly.
Walsall opted to make a change as the teams returned, with Jamie Jellis sitting out the second-half, as Courtney Clarke took his place.
Crewe began the second-half brightly, winning a corner just two minutes after the restart, as Browne put the ball behind, but nothing would come of it, as Flint headed the initial effort away, before O'Reilly played the ball back in for James Connolly, whose effort on goal was well saved by Roberts.
The Saddlers were quick to work the ball up to the other end, where Daniel Kanu looked to play in the recently introduced Clarke, but Connolly put his body on the line to block the effort on goal.
Walsall probably should have doubled their lead, in the fifty-seventh minute, as the ball was played into the box, creating a goalmouth scramble which resulted in Flint firing narrowly over the crossbar from close range.
As we reached the hour mark, there was a brief pause in proceedings, allowing Josh March, to receive attention from the medical team, but he was soon back to his feet and able to rejoin the action.
Crewe captain, Lewis Billington, became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul on Kanu, in the sixty-third minute.
Another break in play followed, moments later, as Josh March went down holding his shoulder again. Play continued for a while without him, but it was soon determined that he would be unable to continue, with the visiting side choosing to make three changes, as Matús Holícek took the place of March, whilst Calum Agius and Jack Powell made way for Omar Bogle and Louis Moult.
Four minutes later, the Saddlers chose to make two further changes to their line-up too, with Daniel Kanu and Jamille Matt departing, as Albert Adomah and Aaron Pressley joined the fray.
Walsall should have doubled their tally, in the seventy-sixth minute, as Barrett played the ball through for Pressley, who took too long to get his shot away, allowing the 'keeper to close the space, and ended up sending the ball inches wide of the target from close range.
Seventy-eight minutes into the contest, Crewe chose to make their fourth change of the afternoon, with Charlie Finney making way for Jay Mingi.
Matús Holícek became the second player to see his name added to the referee's notebook, as he was cautioned following a foul on Clarke, in the seventy-ninth minute.
Crewe opted to make their fifth and final change of the game, in the eighty-third minute, as Owen Lunt made way for Dion Rankine.
Things remained fairly settled after that, although Crewe won a free-kick in a dangerous position, in the eighty-seventh minute, as Browne was adjudged to have fouled O'Reilly on the edge of the area. Nothing would come of it, however, or the corner which followed, as Sanders strike was blocked.
Walsall opted to make a fourth change to their side, as we reached the ninetieth minute, with Ryan Finnigan making way for Charlie Lakin.
Crewe continued to enjoy a bright spell as they sought to get back into the game, winning a corner as we entered six additional minutes. Nothing would come of the flag-kick though, and the Saddlers cleared, before a ball back in by Holícek found Bogle, who forced a fine save from Roberts.
The visiting side went on to win another corner moments later, as Weir turned the ball behind. Before that could be taken, Vincent Harper picked up a yellow card, as he was cautioned for time wasting.
The hosts then chose to make their final change of the game, with Vincent Harper making way for Jid Okeke.
The flag-kick was eventually taken, but came to nothing. Another followed, as Okeke turned the ball behind, but Mingi's effort was blocked.
Two further corners followed, as the Saddlers desperately hung on to their slender lead, but Crewe remained unable to find a late goal to level the scores, and eventually the hosts were able to work the ball out of the danger zone, and the referee eventually brought the game to its conclusion, with Walsall winning by one-goal-to-nil.
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