Walsall were back in League Two action on Saturday afternoon as they made their way to the SMH Group Stadium, where they took on Chesterfield.Both teams took a little time to settle into the game, but once they had, Walsall looked the brighter of the two, winning the first corner of the afternoon, in the eigth minute, as former Saddler, Ryan Stirk was forced to turn the ball behind.
Evan Weir swung the ball into the box from the flag-kick, finding Harrison Burke, but the defenders headed effort sailed over the crossbar.
Chesterfield grew into the game, creating their first chance of the afternoon, in the eleventh minute, as Liam Mandeville crossed the ball to Dylan Duffy, who fired goal-wards from outside the area, forcing a save from Walsall shot-stopper, Myles Roberts.
Just two minutes later, Chesterfield took the lead, as Tom Pearce crossed the ball in for former Saddler, Will Grigg, whose initial strike was denied by Roberts before his follow-up effort found the target.
The hosts continued to press, winning a free-kick in a promising position, fifteen minutes into the contest, as Burke fouled Duffy, but they were unable to add to their tally as Duffy fired wide.
Walsall won a corner, at the other end, in the nineteenth minute, as Sam Curtis put the ball behind, from which Weir crossed the ball in for Jamille Matt, whose glancing header went wide.
With twenty minutes on the clock, Chesterfield doubled their advantage, as Weir was penalised for a lapse in concentration, losing the ball to Dilan Markanday, who raced forwards and fired goal-wards from the centre of the box, beating an onrushing Roberts to find the target.
Things settled a little after that, but Walsall could have pulled a goal back, in the twenty-seventh minute, as a long ball found Matt, but his effort, under pressure, narrowly cleared the crossbar.
Chesterfield won a succession of corners as we reached the half hour mark, but none would come to anything as the Saddlers defences stood firm.
The game settled into something of a midfield battle after that, with both sides enjoying spells with the ball, without creating much to trouble their oppostion defences.
That was, until Walsall pulled a goal back in the forty-first minute, as Barrett crossed the ball into the box, onto the head of Daniel Kanu, who nodded home from close range.
The home side looked to restore their two goal cushion quickly, with Pearce firing goal-wards at the other end, in the forty-third minute, but his effort failed to trouble Roberts, as it sailed high and wide of the target.
Three additional minutes were added to end the first-half, but there was little further action of note, and the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with Chesterfield leading by two-goals-to-one.
Walsall opted to make a change as the teams returned, with Jamille Matt sitting out the second-half, as Albert Adomah took his place.
Adomah looked to get involved in the action quickly, getting on the end of a forty-eighth minute Barrett cross into the box, but his effort on goal sailed wide of the upright.
Things settled a little after that, with both sides enjoying time on the ball without creating much, until the fifty-third minute, when Stirk fired goal-wards from outside the area, forcing a save from Roberts.
Walsall were soon back on the attack, with Adomah crossing the ball into the box, in the fifty-sixth minute, for Kanu, who fired goal-wards from the centre of the area, but his effort missed the target, going narrowly wide of the upright.
As we reached the hour mark, the Saddlers were awarded a free-kick, as Curtis fouled Harper. Weir played the ball into the box from the set-piece, finding the head of Kanu, who nodded on for Adomah, who headed home from close range to level the scores.
The hosts had soon worked the ball back to the other end, as they looked to restore their earlier lead, but Curtis' cross in was turned wide by Mandeville.
Chesterfield chose to make their first changes of the afternoon, in the sixty-sixth minute, with Will Grigg and Dylan Duffy making way for Lee Bonis and Armando Dobra.
Walsall saw a chance to take the lead go begging, two minutes after the changes were completed, as recent arrival, Alfie Chang crossed the ball to Kanu, but the strikers powerful effort from outside the box sailed wide.
The Saddlers chose to make a second change to their line-up, in the seventy-third minute, with Alfie Chang departing, in favour of Charlie Lakin.
Lakin was quick to get involved in the action, crossing the ball into the box, moments after his introduction, for Kanu, but the striker was unable to divert his effort home, sending the ball wide of the target.
Chesterfield opted to make another double change, fifteen minutes from time, with Liam Mandeville and Dilan Markanday making way for Tom Naylor and James Berry.
There was a pause in play, ten minutes from time, allowing Albert Adomah to receive attention from the Walsall medics, but it was soon determined that he would be unable to continue, and Jamie Jellis was brought on in his place.
The home side won a corner in the eighty-fifth minute, as Roberts turned the ball behind, though nothing would come of it as Berry fired narrowly over.
Chesterfield chose to introduce their fifth and final substitute, in the eighty-sixth minute, with Sammy Braybrooke making way for Freddie Ladapo.
The hosts continued to press after the change was completed, with Naylor crossing the ball in for Bonis, who drew a fine save from Roberts to keep the scores level.
Walsall opted to make two further changes to their line-up as we reached the ninetieth minute, with Daniel Kanu and Courtney Clarke making way for Aaron Loupalo-Bi and Brandon Comley.
Five additional minutes were added to end the match, but there was little further action of note, and the game was brought to its conclusion with the sides each taking one point from the contest, as it finished two-all.
| GRIGG (13') MARKANDAY (20') |
KANU (41') ADOMAH (60') |
| AT | SMH GROUP STADIUM |
| REFEREE | CHARLES BREAKSPEAR |