Walsall were back in action on Saturday afternoon as they welcomed Accrington Stanley to the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium, with the Saddlers looking to make it two wins on the bounce.Accrington got the action underway, but it was Walsall who began the brighter of the two sides, winning a corner just three minutes into the contest, as Donald Love turned the ball behind, though nothing would come of the early flag-kick.
Connor Barrett became the first player to draw the attentions of the referee, as he was cautioned just eight minutes into the contest, following a foul on Shaun Whalley.
The visiting side went close in the ninth minute, as Séamus Conneely headed the ball on for Alex Henderson, whose effort on goal from outside the box was denied by Walsall shot-stopper, Myles Roberts.
The hosts were quick to work the ball up to the other end, through Daniel Kanu, who looked to play in Alex Pattison, whose shot sailed narrowly wide of the target.
Stanley grew more into the game as it continued, with Isaac Heath forcing another save from Roberts, in the twelfth minute, with an effort from outside the box, before Isaac Sinclair played the ball in for Paddy Madden, four minutes later, with the strikers headed effort from close range missing the target.
Brandon Comley became the second player to see yellow, as he was cautioned in the twenty-fourth minute, following a foul on Henderson.
The resulting free-kick saw Love fire goal-wards from some forty yards out, but his effort failed to trouble Roberts as it sailed wide of the post.
Isaac Heath joined those playing on a caution, as we reached the half hour mark, as he was shown the yellow card for a foul on Vincent Harper.
Accrington won a corner, in the thirty-third minute, as Madden crossed the ball in for Whalley, but Aden Flint was alert to the danger and blocked the effort, before Roberts turned the ball behind. Nothing would come of the flag-kick.
Walsall won a free-kick in a promising position, in the thirty-eighth minute, as Comley was fouled by Henderson. Nothing would come of the set-piece, however, as Pattison's effort on goal sailed high and wide of the target.
The visitors won a corner, five minutes before the break, as Flint turned the ball behind. A second corner followed, as Harper put the ball out of play, but nothing would come of that either.
Aden Flint joined those listed in the referee's notebook, in the forty-second minute, as he was cautioned for dissent.
Two 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 the scores unchanged.
The teams returned after the break, and Walsall got the second-half underway. The second-half got off to a rather quiet start, with little action of note, though there was a break in play, in the fifty-first minute, allowing Jamille Matt to recover after a clash of heads. He was soon back to his feet and able to continue.
Walsall had a chance to open the scoring, in the fifty-fourth minute, as Harper crossed the ball into the box for Jamie Jellis, but the midfielders headed effort was denied by Accrington 'keeper, Ollie Wright.
The Saddlers continued to press, with Evan Weir firing wide from outside the area, in the fifty-sixth minute, shortly before the hosts won a corner as Farrend Rawson turned the ball behind, though nothing would come of the flag-kick.
Things settled a little for a moment, but Barrett crossed the ball into the box, in the sixty-second minute, allowing Jellis a strike at goal, but his effort sailed harmlessly wide of the upright.
Walsall chose to make their first substitutions, in the sixty-fifth minute, with Jamie Jellis and Alex Pattison making way for Courtney Clarke and Charlie Lakin.
Priestley Farquharson became the fourth Saddler to see yellow, in the sixty-seventh minute, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Whalley.
Donald Love joined Farquharson, and many others, in the referee's notebook, just two minutes later, as he was cautioned for a fouling Weir.
The Saddlers created another chance to open the scoring, seventy-three minutes in, as Weir crossed the ball into the box for Farquharson, but the defenders headed effort was blocked.
Isaac Sinclair saw his name added to the growing collection in the referee's notebook, in the seventy-fourth minute, as he was shown the yellow card for a foul on Harper.
The resulting free-kick was swung into the box by Weir, finding Kanu, whose headed effort struck the crossbar.
Both teams chose to make changes, in the seventy-eighth minute, with Walsall replacing Daniel Kanu and Jamille Matt with Aaron Loupalo-Bi and Aaron Pressley, whilst Accrington took off Séamus Conneely, allowing Conor Grant to enter the fray.
Things settled a little after the changes were completed, with Accrington seeing more of the ball, but creating little. They did win a free-kick in a promising position, in the eighty-sixth minute though, following a foul by Barrett. Grant crossed the ball into the box from the set-piece, for Henderson, whose header goal-wards narrowly missed the target.
Aaron Loupalo-Bi became the fifth Saddler to see yellow, as he was cautioned for fouling Love, in the eighty-ninth minute.
Moments after the board went up to indicate five additional minutes would be played to end the match, Walsall used their final substitution, replacing Connor Barrett with Albert Adomah.
Walsall won a corner, four minutes into added time, as Wright turned the ball out of play to deny Flint, who had headed goal-wards, but nothing would come of the flag-kick, as the visiting side were able to clear.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the game was brought to its conclusion with the scores still unchanged.
| AT | BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | ELLIOTT SWALLOW |