Walsall were back in Sky Bet League Two action on Saturday afternoon as they made their way to the SO Legal Stadium and took on Barrow in their penultimate away game of the season.Barrow got the action underway, and probably should have opened the scoring just two minutes into the contest, as Ben Whitfield crossed the ball into the box for Isaac Fletcher, who had far too much space, but fired high over the crossbar.
Walsall grew into the game as play continued, and could have opened the scoring themselves in the eighth minute, as Jid Okeke cut inside before curling an effort goal-wards, but Barrow 'keeper, Wyll Stanway was alert to the danger and made the save.
The Saddlers continued to press, going close again in the fourteenth minute, as Charlie Lakin crossed the ball into the box for Daniel Kanu, who was unable to keep his effort on target, as the ball looped up and over the crossbar.
The hosts won a corner at the other end three minutes later, as Mason Hancock turned the ball behind, but Walsall shot-stopper, Myles Roberts was able to make the save at the second time of asking.
There was a brief pause in proceedings, in the twenty-third minute, allowing an off-the-ball incident to be resolved, and once it was play resumed.
Walsall went close in the twenty-sixth minute, as Okeke slotted the ball into the path of Kanu, but the striker was unable to beat the Barrow 'keeper, who did well to get off his line and make the save.
The Saddlers continued to enjoy a bright spell, going close again as we reached the half hour mark, as Hancock fired goal-wards from distance, only narrowly missing the target as the ball sailed inches wide of the upright.
With thirty-three minutes on the clock, Walsall found the breakthrough, as Stanway saved a low, driven effort from Kanu, with Albert Adomah on hand to turn the follow-up home from close range.
There was a pause in play in the thirty-eighth minute, allowing Ben Jackson to receive attention from the Barrow medics after he was fouled by Rico Browne. Play was soon back underway, with the injured man eventually able to rejoin the fray.
Walsall could have doubled their advantage in the forty-fourth minute, as Lakin played the ball through for Okeke, but the striker was unable to find the target as Stanway got down to deny him.
The Saddlers had more luck two minutes into six added on, as they won a corner, which was crossed low into the box by Lakin for Hancock, who fired home through a crowded box to double his side's lead.
The visiting side continued to press and could have added a third goal two minutes after their second, as Jamie Jellis worked the ball to Kanu, who saw his effort blocked moments before Okeke also saw a shot deflected. They kept the move alive, with Lakin crossing the ball back to Kanu, whose strike from outside the box was well saved by Stanway.
Adomah then saw an effort on goal stopped by the Barrow 'keeper in the sixth of the added minutes, and that would prove to be the final action of note, as the sides headed back down the tunnel with Walsall leading by two-goals-to-nil at the break.
Barrow made a change to their line-up as the teams returned, with Ben Jackson, who was injured late in the first-half unable to continue, as Elliot Newby took his place.
Walsall began the second-half brightly, with Jellis playing the ball through for Browne, just two minutes after the restart, but Stanway was alert to the danger and made the save.
Barrow had soon worked the ball up to the other end, where Newby crossed to Rekeem Harper, whose strike from outside the box was blocked. The hosts continued to enjoy a brighter spell, with Charlie McCann heading the ball on for Fletcher, moments later, but the strikers effort on goal was also blocked by the Saddlers defence.
The home side continued to press, with Fletcher playing the ball in for Danny Rose, in the fifty-second minute, but the striker was unable to beat Walsall shot-stopper, Myles Roberts, who did well to make the save.
Walsall were quick to work the ball up to the other end, where Adomah played through Jellis, whose strike from a tight angle was well saved by Stanway, with the resulting corner coming to nothing as Adomah's ball in was headed wide by Priestley Farquharson.
Barrow opted to make their second change of the afternoon, in the fifty-fifth minute, as Ben Whitfield made way for Connor Mahoney.
Mahoney was quick to get involved in the action as his side continued to seek a route back into the game, crossing the ball in for Newby, in the fifty-seventh minute, though his fellow substitute was unable to find the target as his effort on goal was blocked, moments before Rose also saw a strike blocked.
Things settled a little after that, with Barrow seeing plenty of the ball, without creating anything to further trouble the Walsall defences.
Joseph Anderson became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul on Adomah, in the sixty-seventh minute. The resulting free-kick saw Walsall extend their lead, as Hancock's ball in evaded both Aden Flint and Kanu but found the bottom corner.
Both sides chose to make changes in the seventy-second minute, with Barrow replacing Angus MacDonald and Danny Rose with Charlie Raglan and Kane Hemmings, whilst Walsall's Jid Okeke made way for Courtney Clarke.
Six minutes later, Barrow chose to make their fifth and final change of the afternoon, with Isaac Fletcher departing, as Jovan Malcolm took his place.
Walsall chose to make a double change to their line-up, eight minutes from time, with Daniel Kanu and Albert Adomah making way for Aaron Pressley and Aaron Loupalo-Bi.
Things remained settled as play continued, but two minutes from time, barrow pulled a goal back, as Hemmings broke into the box before crossing to Malcom, who fired home from a tight angle.
The Saddlers responded to the goal by making a double change, with Brandon Comley and Priestley Farquharson being replaced by Vincent Harper and Harrison Burke.
Four additional minutes were added to end the match. Very late on, Barrow went close to adding a second goal, as Anderson crossed to McCann, whose shot sailed narrowly over the crossbar.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the game was brought to its conclusion with Walsall winning by three-goals-to-one. A much improved performance from the Saddlers, who took their chances well, a shame it came too late to influence their season though.
| MALCOLM (88') |
ADOMAH (33') HANCOCK (45'+2) HANCOCK (68') |
| AT | SO LEGAL STADIUM |
| REFEREE | FULL NAME |