Walsall returned to Sky Bet League Two action on Tuesday evening as they took on Salford City at the Peninsula Stadium.Walsall began the game brightly, winning a corner just four minutes into the contest as Haji Mnoga was forced to turn the ball behind, but nothing would come of the early flag-kick, nor of the one which followed a minute later, which was headed wide by Aden Flint.
Salford began to see more of the ball as the game continued, and created their first chance of the evening in the tenth minute, as Cole Stockton crossed the ball to Rosaire Longelo, but the midfielders shot from outside the box sailed over.
Things settled a little after that, with both teams enjoying spells on the ball without creating anything to trouble their opposition defences.
The teams remained pretty evenly matched as the time wore on, with neither side able to create anything to enthuse the supporters, although, Salford won a corner as we reached the half hour mark, as Vincent Harper turned the ball behind. Nothing would come of the flag-kick though. Another City corner followed two minutes later as Brandon Comley put the ball out of play, but the hosts were unable to make the most of that set-piece either.
Salford won a free-kick in a promising position in the thirty-fifth minute after Stockton was fouled by Comley. Nothing would come of the set-piece, however, as Flint turned the ball behind, with the visiting side able to clear the corner.
Aden Flint became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul on Stockton, in the thirty-eighth minute.
Walsall could have opened the scoring, in the thirty-ninth minute, as the ball was played forwards for Charlie Lakin, whose shot failed to find the target, although any goal would not have stood as the flag was belatedly raised.
Salford saw much of the ball as the game continued, though they were unable to create anything further to test the Walsall defences, and after one additional minute was played, the first-half was brought to a close, with the scores still level as the sides headed back to their respective dressing rooms.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and play got back underway. Walsall began the second-half brightly, with Harper firing an effort in on goal from outside the area just three minutes after the restart, though he was unable to find the target as he fired wide.
Salford could have taken the lead in the fifty-second minute, as Zach Awe worked his way up to the edge of the area with the ball, before firing goal-wards, but his effort lacked power and direction and headed wide of the target.
Haji Mnoga became the second player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul on Harper in the fifty-sixth minute.
There was little action of note as the game continued, although sixty-three minutes in, City won a corner as Flint was forced to turn a curling effort from Jorge Grant behind. Nothing would come of the flag-kick.
The hosts continued to enjoy a brighter spell, with Ryan Graydon looking to beat Walsall shot-stopper, Myles Roberts, in the sixty-fifth minute, but his looping effort struck the woodwork as it headed over.
Salford chose to make a triple change to their line-up in the sixty-seventh minute, with Cole Stockton, Josh Austerfield and Jorge Grant making way for Fabio Borini, Ossama Ashley and Princewill Ehibhatiomhan.
The Saddlers began to enjoy a brighter spell after that, with Daniel Kanu seeing an effort blocked in the sixty-eighth minute before Lakin played the ball through for Evan Weir, whose low strike deflected towards goal, forcing a fine save from City shot-stopper, Matthew Young.
The hosts soon had the ball back in the Walsall box, as Turton played the ball through for Graydon, whose shot at goal was blocked.
In the seventy-fourth minute, Graydon crossed the ball into the box for Fabio Borini, who fired a low effort past Roberts, into the bottom corner to open the scoring.
The Walsall bench responded to falling a goal behind by making their first changes of the evening, with Aaron Pressley and Charlie Lakin departing as Jamille Matt and Courtney Clarke joined the action.
Just three minutes later, the visitors chose to make a further two changes, with Jamie Jellis and Vincent Harper making way for Mason Hancock and Connor Barrett.
Walsall began to show signs of improvement after the changes were completed, with Hancock playing a dangerous ball across the face of goal moments after his introduction, though Matt was unable to get a telling touch at the back post to turn it home.
There was a brief pause to proceedings after that, allowing Young to receive attention from the City medics, but he was soon back on his feet and able to continue.
Five minutes from time, Salford chose to make another change to their line-up, with Rosaire Longelo being replaced by Adebola Oluwo.
Two minutes after that, the hosts were forced to make their final change of the evening, as Ossama Ashley picked up an injury just twenty minutes after his introduction into the game and was forced to retire, with Alfie Dorrington taking his place.
Five additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time Salford won a couple of corners, which they were unable to make use of. That would prove to be the final action of note though, and the game was brought to its conclusion with Salford winning by one-goal-to-nil.
| BORINI (74') | |
| AT | PENINSULA STADIUM |
| REFEREE | MARTIN WOODS |