Walsall's 2025/26 League Two campaign continued on Tuesday evening as they welcomed Fleetwood Town to the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium for their rearranged clash.With the Saddlers looking to make it two wins in as many games, head coach Mat Sadler opted to stick with the team that defeated near rivals Shrewsbury Town at the weekend.
Fleetwood saw much of the early ball, but they were unable to create anything to trouble the Walsall defences during the opening minutes.
The game was paused briefly, in the fifth minute, allowing Priestley Farquharson to receive attention from the Walsall medics following a clash of heads. Fortunately, he was soon back on his feet and able to continue.
Town continued to see much of the ball as play continued, but it was Walsall who created the first chance of the evening, as they broke with the ball in the twelfth minute, and worked it forwards for Daniel Kanu, whose shot at goal was saved by Fleetwood 'keeper, Jay Lynch.
As we reached the quarter hour mark, Fleetwood opened the scoring, as the ball was played forwards for Ethan Ennis, who crossed to an unmarked Mark Helm, who fired home from close range.
The Saddlers looked to respond quickly, with Kanu firing goal-wards in the eighteenth minute, but he was unable to find the target with his weaker foot, sending the ball sailing over the crossbar.
Things settled a little as play continued, but, in the twenty-fourth minute, Walsall won a corner, as Shaun Rooney got to the ball ahead of Aaron Pressley to head behind. Nothing would come of the flag-kick, however, it did lead to another pause in play, as Evan Weir picked up a knock, which required the attentions of the Walsall medics. He was soon back to his feet and able to continue.
The hosts continued to seek an equaliser once play had resumed, with Charlie Lakin seeing an effort blocked, in the twenty-eighth minute, moments before the side were awarded a free-kick following a foul on Harper. Weir played the ball in from the set-piece, for Aden Flint who was unable to find the target, as he headed wide.
Unperturbed, the Saddlers worked the ball forwards again, in the thirty-third minute, where it fell kindly to Kanu inside the box, but the striker saw his low effort cleared by Lynch.
Five minutes later, Walsall created another chance to level the scores, as Jamie Jellis floated a lovely ball in towards the back post, where Flint rose well, but his headed effort had just a little too much height on it, landing on the roof of the net.
The hosts won a corner two minutes later, as Mitchell Clark turned the ball behind. Lakin crossed the ball into the box from the flag-kick, for Priestley Farquharson, but the defenders headed effort sailed wide of the upright.
Shaun Rooney became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul on Kanu, in the forty-first minute.
Four additional minutes were added to end the first-half, during which time, Weir crossed a delightful ball into the box for Pressley, but the striker was just unable to get a touch on it to turn it home.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with Fleetwood leading by one-goal-to-nil.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and play got back underway. Fleetwood almost doubled their advantage, just two minutes after the restart, as Helm crossed the ball into the box, forcing a save from Walsall shot-stopper, Sam Hornby, with the resulting corner coming to nothing, as Harrison Neal's ball in was headed wide by Finley Potter.
Things settled after that, with a few half chances falling to either side, but never really threatening the score-line.
Walsall could have levelled the scores in the fifty-eighth minute, however, as Vincent Harper worked the ball to Kanu, but the strikers low effort from twenty yards out was well saved by Lynch.
As we reached the hour mark, Walsall chose to make their first change of the evening, with Charlie Lakin making way for Courtney Clarke.
Two minutes later, Fleetwood opted to introduce their first substitute too, with Will Davies departing, as Detlef Esapa Osong took his place.
Walsall won a free-kick in a promising position, in the sixty-third minute, as Jellis was fouled by Neal. Weir floated a lovely ball in towards the back post from the set-piece, finding the head of Flint, whose pass across the six yard box found Jellis, who was unable to get a decent shot away as Helm blocked.
The hosts felt they should have been awarded a penalty in the sixty-fifth minute, as a Jid Okeke cross into the box appeared to strike an arm, but the referee was unmoved by their appeals and waved play on.
The Saddlers chose to make two further changes to their line-up, in the sixty-eighth minute, with Vincent Harper and Aaron Pressley making way for Albert Adomah and Jamille Matt. The visitors also took the opportunity to introduce some fresh legs, with Mark Helm being replaced by Matthew Virtue-Thick.
Walsall continued to see much of the ball as play continued, though they were unable to create anything to trouble the Fleetwood defences.
Fourteen minutes from time, Town could have doubled their advantage, as Ennis met a ball from deep and headed across goal, with his effort running along the crossbar, before rolling out of play.
The Walsall bench chose to make their final two changes of the game in the seventy-ninth minute, as Jamie Jellis and Daniel Kanu made way for Alex Pattison and Aaron Loupalo-Bi.
A series of Fleetwood corners followed, though they were unable to make anything of them, with the best of the bunch seeing a Clark effort blocked behind.
The Saddlers were eventually able to clear, and were quick to work the ball up to the other end, where Loupali-Bi crossed to Matt, who failed to make a clean connection with the ball, allowing Lynch to make an easy save.
Things settled after that, with little action of note before Fleetwood chose to make a change in the eighty-ninth minute, with Ched Evans making way for Owen Devonport.
Four additional minutes were added to end the match, but there was little further action of note, and the referee called time with Fleetwood winning by one-goal-to-nil. A disappointing evening for the Saddlers, who showed plenty of endeavour but failed to find a telling touch.
| HELM (15') | |
| AT | BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | STEVEN COPELAND |