Darren Byfield's Saddlers returned to League Two action on Tuesday evening as they looked to build upon last weekend's win over Crewe Alexandra with a triumph over in-form Cambridge United.Cambridge saw plenty of the ball in the early goings, but it was Walsall who enjoyed the first chance to open the scoring, as Korey Smith turned an Albert Adomah cross wide in the fourth minute. Charlie Lakin swung the ball in from the resulting flag-kick, but United 'keeper, Jake Eastwood was able to gather.
United won a corner themselves, just five minutes later, as Kacper Łopata blocked a Louis Appéré stike, but nothing would come of the flag-kick, though the visiting side continued to press, with Sullay Kaikai seeing an effort saved by Walsall shot-stopper, Myles Roberts, moments later, though the flag was raised so any goal would not have stood anyway.
The visiting side continued to see much of the ball as the game continued, thought they were unable to find a way through the Walsall defences, although James Gibbons did see an effort from distance blocked, in the twenty-second minute.
Sullay Kaikai became the first player to draw the attention of the referee, as he was cautioned following a foul on Brandon Comley, in the twenty-fourth minute.
Walsall began to enjoy a brighter spell after that, with Adomah seeing an effort miss the target in the twenty-fifth minute, before the ball was met by Daniel Kanu moments later, whose shot from outside the box sailed over the crossbar.
The visitors worked the ball back to the other end, in the thirty-first minute, but Kaikai was unable to turn Ben Knight's cross home, as he fired high and wide of the target from outside the area.
Cambridge continued to enjoy a good spell though, with Pelly Mpanzu firing an effort in from the centre of the box, in the thirty-third minute, but he failed to find the target.
Things settled after that, with the visiting side continuing to see much of the ball, without creating anything to test the Walsall defences further, though they did go on to win a corner in the forty-second minute, as Jamie Jellis turned the ball behind, but nothing would come of the set-piece.
Walsall won a series of corners as we headed towards the break, as former Saddler, Liam Bennett initially turned the ball behind, before Smith turned the ball in behind again, with Eastwood then punching clear to gift the hosts another flag-kick, but that too came to nothing.
One minute was added to end the first-half, during which time Kaikai crossed a promising ball in for Knight, whose headed effort was well blocked by Mason Hancock. That would prove to be the final action of note, and the sides trudged off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with the scores unchanged.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and the action got back underway. Walsall saw more of the ball after the restart, though they were unable to trouble the Cambridge defences early in the second-half.
With just seven minutes of the second-half played, Walsall chose to make their first two changes of the game, with Jamie Jellis and Kacper Łopata making way for Alex Pattison and Aden Flint.
Dominic Ball became the second player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul on Kanu in the fifty-ninth minute. The resulting free-kick was played in by Hancock, and the Saddlers did well to keep the move alive as the initial ball in was partially cleared, but ultimately nothing would come of the move.
There was a pause in play in the sixty-third minute, allowing Smith to receive attention from the United medics; he was soon back on his feet and able to continue, but not before his manager, Neil Harris, was shown the yellow card, as he was booked for dissent.
Cambridge chose to make their first substitutions of the game in the sixty-seventh minute, with Liam Bennett and Pelly Mpanzu making way for Ben Purrington and Shayne Lavery.
The Saddlers also took the opportunity to introduce some more fresh legs, with Aaron Loupalo-Bi departing, as Aaron Pressley joined the fray.
Things remained relatively settled as play continued, but both sides opted to make further changes in the seventy-fourth minute, as Sullay Kaikai and Ben Knight made way for James Brophy and Adam Mayor, whilst for the Saddlers, Charlie Lakin and Daniel Kanu were replaced by Alfie Chang and Rico Richards.
Mayor was quick to get involved in the action, as he turned the ball wide in the seventy-eighth minute, gifting Walsall a corner, though nothing would come of the set-piece.
The Saddlers continued to enjoy a bright spell, as Hancock crossed the ball in for Flint, whose header goal-wards was cleared off the line by a well-positioned James Gibbons.
The game settled into something of a midfield battle as it continued, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball, without creating anything of note.
Four additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time, Cambridge won a corner, but nothing would come of the set-piece as Flint cleared.
Walsall won a free-kick in a dangerous position in the third of the added minutes, as Rico Browne was fouled by Lavery. Nothing would come of the set-piece though, as the visiting defences cleared. The Saddlers were presented with another chance to get the ball back into the danger zone, but nothing would come of that either, and the game was was brought to its conclusion with the scores remaining unchanged, with both sides taking a point from the contest.
| AT | BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | SIMON MATHER |