Walsall were back in action on Monday evening as they welcomed Milton Keynes Dons to the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium.MK Dons got the action underway, and the visiting side saw much of the early possession, from which they won the first corner of the game, five minutes in, as Courtney Clarke turned the ball behind. The ball in looked good, but Walsall shot-stopper, Sam Hornby was able to gather.
The visiting side continued to press, with a long throw from Jon Mellish forcing a clearance by Aden Flint in the ninth minute, though the ball was only cleared as far as Dan Crowley, who fired an effort in from the edge of a crowded box, which was blocked.
Walsall won a free-kick in a promising position, in the twelfth minute, as Priestley Farquharson was fouled by Luke Offord, but nothing would come of the opportunity as Dons 'keeper, Craig MacGillivray gathered.
The visiting side continued to see much of the ball as play continued, though they struggled to break through the Walsall defences to create any real chances of note on goal.
Alex Pattison became the first player to see yellow, in the twenty-sixth minute, as he was cautioned following a foul on Liam Kelly.
As we reached the half hour mark, MK Dons opened the scoring, as Mellish intercepted a ball from Farquharson intended for Clarke. He passed to Alex Gilbey, who in turn played the ball on for Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, who fired home from close range.
There was an extended pause in proceedings after that, as Referee, Peter Wright, was forced from the game due to injury, with Fourth Official, Dean Watson stepping in to replace him.
Dan Crowley became the second player to see yellow, in the forty-fourth minute, as he cautioned following a foul on Daniel Kanu. The resulting free-kick did find its way into the Dons area, but it was easily dealt with by their defences.
Five additional minutes were added to end the first-half, during which time Aden Flint joined those playing on a caution, as he was booked for dissent.
The visiting side were unlucky not to extend their lead, in the fourth of the added minutes, as Mellish crossed the ball into the box for Hepburn-Murphy, who was prevented from doubling his tally by Kacper Łopata, before Hornby turned the ball behind, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with MK Dons leading by one-goal-to-nil.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and Walsall got the action back underway. The visitors began the second-half brightly, forcing Flint to concede a corner just three minutes after the restart, though nothing would come of it.
Six minutes after the teams returned, Walsall were presented with a chance to level the scores, as Aaron Pressley found space to shoot, but he sliced his effort and the ball sailed high and wide of the target.
At the other end, two minutes later, Hepburn-Murphy did likewise, sending a strike from outside the box sailing high and wide.
The Saddlers began to show signs of promise, working he ball back into the Dons area, but after conceding a couple of corners to their hosts, which came to nothing, the visiting side were eventually able to clear the danger.
Walsall continued to enjoy a good spell, with Brandon Comley playing the ball to Kanu, in the fifty-seventh minute, with the striker firing a low effort goal-wards from the edge of the area, drawing a fine save from MacGillivray.
Jon Mellish joined those playing on a caution, in the fifty-eighth minute, as he was cautioned for time wasting after kicking the ball away.
The Walsall bench opted to make their first substitutions of the evening, in the fifty-ninth minute, with Alex Pattison and Charlie Lakin making way for Jamie Jellis and Rico Richards.
The visiting side could have doubled their advantage in the sixty-third minute, as Liam Kelly fed Ben Wiles, who played the ball into the box, but Flint was alert to the danger and turned the ball behind, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
Marvin Ekpiteta joined the ranks of players playing on a caution, in the sixty-ninth minute, as he was shown the yellow card for a foul on Pressley.
Walsall looked to level the scores as play continued, with Jellis crossing the ball in for Clarke, in the seventy-first minute, though his effort on goal sailed over the target. Moments later, Kanu found himself in position to shoot, but his shot from outside the box was saved by MacGillivray.
MK Dons opted to make their first change of the evening in the seventy-fourth minute, as Dan Crowley made way for Scott Hogan.
The Saddlers chose to make two further changes to their line-up, two minutes after that, with Jid Okeke and Kacper Łopata being replaced by Albert Adomah and Harrison Burke.
There was a pause in play, ten minutes from time, allowing Courtney Clarke to receive some attention from the Walsall medics, but it was soon determined that he would be unable to continue, and Aaron Loupalo-Bi was brought on in his place.
Six minutes from time, the visitors doubled their advantage, all but putting the game to bed, as a headed effort from Wiles was blocked behind by Flint, with Ekpiteta swinging the ball into a crowded box from the flag-kick for Mellish to turn home from close range.
MK Dons then chose to make their second change of the game, in the eighty-sixth minute, with Gethin Jones making way for Connor Lemonheigh-Evans.
Six additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time, the visiting side chose to make two further changes to their line-up, with Rushian Hepburn-Murphy and Liam Kelly departing, as their places were filled by Aaron Nemane and Jack Sanders.
The hosts continued to seek a goal late into the game, with Comley playing in Kanu, three minutes into added time, but the strikers effort from outside the area sailed over the crossbar. Comley found himself with a chance to strike himself, two minutes later, but his shot also had too much height on it.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the game was brought to its conclusion with MK Dons winning by two-goals-to-nil. A disappointing result for the Saddlers, who despite a much improved second-half performance, were unable to find a goal.
| HEPBURN-MURPHY (30') MELLISH (84') |
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| AT | BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | PETER WRIGHT |