Walsall opened their 2026/27 Sky Bet League Two campaign with a trip to the MEMS Priestfield Stadium where they took on Gillingham with both sides looking to begin with a win.
The opening goal of the game didn't arrive until the eighty-first minute when substitute Isaac Moore showed plenty of concentration to slot the ball over the line after Aaron Pressley's header from a Courtney Clarke cross was initially saved.
Walsall's second arrived on the stroke of injury time when James Connolly was on hand to slot the ball over the line after Clarke had seen an effort deflect into his path.
The third and final goal of the game also went the way of the Saddlers when Aaron Pressley opened his account for the season deep into second-half stoppage time.
SKY BET LEAGUE TWO
| GILLINGHAM | WALSALL |
|
MOORE (81') CONNOLLY (90') PRESSLEY (90+6') |
| CLARKE (90+6') | |
| 44 | 56 |
| 17 | 17 |
| 7 | 5 |
| 2 | 7 |
| 6 | 9 |
| 12 | 8 |
| 4 | 2 |
| 0 | 0 |
| AT |
| ATTENDANCE |
| REFEREE |
GILLINGHAM
Maynard-Brewer; Gordon (Dobbs, 37'), Smith 🟨, Harris 🟨 (McCleary, 72'), Little (McKenzie, 31' 🟨), Goodwin (Palmer-Houlden, 72'), Hale 🟨, Albarus, Brophy, Beckles, Freeman
Unused: Holtam, McManus, Antwi
Unused: Holtam, McManus, Antwi
WALSALL
Ward; Ahui 🟨 (Dixon, 46'), Connolly, Skura, Hancock (Burke, 74'); Crew 🟨 (Moore, 60'), Sprangler; Simper (Clarke, 60'), Dallas (Sodje, 67'), Smith; Pressley
Unused: Kilroy; Adomah
Unused: Kilroy; Adomah