The Saddlers were back in action on Good Friday afternoon when they welcomed Gillingham to the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium for a League Two clash.Walsall got the action underway, and the side saw plenty of the early ball, though they created little of note in the early goings as the teams settled into the contest, although a cross from Mason Hancock did reach Aaron Loupalo-Bi, in the fifth minute, with the striker seeing his effort blocked.
Gillingham grew into the game as play continued, winning a corner in the twelfth minute as Hancock turned the ball behind. The ball in towards the far post from Max Clark was good, finding the head of Nelson Khumbeni, who drew a save from Walsall shot-stopper, Myles Roberts, with the resulting flag-kick coming to nothing as Andy Smith fired wide.
With twenty-one minutes on the clock, after a quieter spell, Walsall opened the scoring, as Courtney Clarke crossed a delightful ball into the box for Loupalo-Bi, who headed home at the far post from close range.
The visiting side looked to respond quickly to falling a goal behind, with Sam Gale firing an effort in in the twenty-seventh minute, but his shot was blocked.
Walsall felt they should have been awarded a penalty as we reached the half hour mark, but the referee was unmoved by their appeals and waved play on, with Alex Pattison then attempting to find the target with an effort from outside the area, but the ball sailed over the crossbar.
Gillingham soon had the ball back in the danger area at the other end, where Khumbeni crossed the ball in for Ronan Hale, whose goal-ward strike was blocked.
There was a brief pause in proceedings in the thirty-sixth minute, allowing Alex Pattison to receive some attention from the Walsall medics. It was soon determined that he would be unable to continue, and Charlie Lakin was brought on in his place.
The Gills continued to seek a route back into the game once play resumed, with Harry Waldock seeing a headed effort from the centre of the area sail wide, in the forty-second minute. The visitors went on to win a corner shortly after that, as Brandon Comley turned the ball behind, but they were unable to make that count.
Three additional minutes were added to end the first-half, during which time Khumbeni attempted to level the scores, but his effort from distance sailed well wide of the target, meaning Walsall would head into the break a goal to the good.
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and Gillingham got the second-half underway. Just two minutes after the restart, Walsall could have doubled their advantage, as Hancock crossed the ball into the box prompting a goalmouth scramble, which ultimately saw the visiting side awarded a free-kick, as Loupalo-Bi sought to turn the ball home.
The Saddlers continued to seek to add to their tally, with Lakin crossing the ball to Jamie Jellis, whose forty-ninth minute effort on goal was turned behind for a corner, which would come to nothing.
Gillingham were quick to work the ball back to the other end, where a through ball from Garath McCleary was met by Hale, who fired home from the centre of the area, into the bottom corner, to level the scores.
Bradley Dack became the first player to see his name taken by the referee, in the fifty-second minute, as he was cautioned following a foul on Loupalo-Bi.
Things settled a little after the Gills goal, until Hale was presented with a chance to double his tally in the fifty-ninth minute, but he was unable to find the target from distance, with the ball sailing wide of the target.
With sixty-three minutes on the clock, Gillingham were again presented with a chance to double their tally for the afternoon, as Priestley Farquharson caused Roberts to spill the ball into the path of Seb Palmer-Houlden, who fired home from close range to put his side ahead.
Walsall opted to make their second change of the afternoon in the sixty-fourth minute, with Jamie Jellis making way for Daniel Kanu.
Just two minutes after his introduction into the game, Kanu levelled the scores, as his side won a corner which was initially turned goal-wards by Farquharson, before the Charlton Athletic loanee found the target from close range.
Gillingham chose to make their first change of the afternoon, in the sixty-ninth minute, as Seb Palmer-Houlden made way for Josh Andrews.
The Saddlers opted to make their third substitution of the afternoon in the seventy-fourth minute, with Aaron Loupalo-Bi making way for Albert Adomah, who took to the pitch for the hundredth time in a Walsall shirt.
Things remained settled after the change, with little of note until Gillingham made their second change of the game, in the eighty-second minute, with Harry Waldock departing, as Jonny Williams took his place.
There was a brief halt to proceedings in the eighty-third minute, allowing Andrews to receive some attention from the Gillingham medics. He was soon back on his feet though, allowing play to resume.
Six additional minutes were added to end the match, as a Dack header was well blocked. Walsall won a corner, two minutes into those added, as Clark turned the ball behind, but nothing would come of it as Gillingham cleared.
Sam Gale became the second player to see yellow, as he was cautioned for a handball offence, four minutes into those added. The resulting free-kick saw Adomah fire inches wide of the upright.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the game was brought to its conclusion with the scores still level at two-goals-apiece.
| LOUPALO-BI (21') KANU (66') |
HALE (50') PALMER-HOULDEN (63') |
| AT | BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | WILLIAM DAVIS |