Walsall returned to League Two action on Saturday afternoon as they welcomed Accrington Stanley to the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium.
Walsall opened the scoring with just eight minutes on the clock when Courtney Clarke broke past his marker to find Rico Browne; his cross fell to Aaron Pressley, but the striker was unable to beat goalkeeper Louie Moulden, before summer signing Reece Smith was alert to the loose ball and tucked an effort home.
Stanley's equaliser arrived just four minutes later when Alex Henderson's free-kick was palmed back into a dangerous area, where Josh Woods was only too happy to poke the ball over the line, ending Jed Ward's record of not conceding a goal in normal time.
Walsall went back into the lead deep into first-half stoppage time when Harrison Burke opened his account for the season with a header at the back post.
The Saddlers extended their lead eight minutes into the second half when Aaron Pressley continued his strong start to the season as he slotted the ball home from a Reece Smith cross.
Walsall's two-goal lead didn't last long, however, as substitute Stefan Mols put Stanley back to within a goal just four minutes later.
SKY BET LEAGUE TWO
| WALSALL | 3-2 | ACCRINGTON |
SMITH (8') BURKE (45+6') PRESSLEY (') |
GOALSCORERS
|
WOODS (12') MOLS (57'')
|
HANCOCK (45+6') SMITH (53') |
ASSISTS
|
WALTON (57')
|
| 62 | POSSESSION (%) | 38 |
| 15 | SHOTS (TOTAL) | 20 |
| 5 | SHOTS (ON TARGET) | 5 |
| 3 | GOALKEEPER SAVES | 2 |
| 4 | CORNERS | 5 |
| 8 | FOULS | 19 |
| 4 | YELLOW CARDS | 2 |
| 0 | RED CARDS | 0 |
| AT | BESCOT STADIUM |
| ATTENDANCE | TBC |
| REFEREE | WILLIAM DAVIS |
WALSALL
Ward; Browne (Ahui, 46' 🟨), Burke, Skura 🟨, Hancock; Sprangler 🟨, I. Moore 🟨 (Crew, 90+3'); Clarke (Simper, 73'), Sodje (Dallas, 73'), Smith (Adomah, 86'); Pressley
Unused: Wooster; Furlong
Unused: Wooster; Furlong
ACCRINGTON STANLEY
Moulden; T. Moore (Tutonda, 78'), Rawson, Matthews; Henderson (Mols, 55'), Love, Conneely (Coyle, 55' 🟨), Anderson; Whalley (Walton, 55' 🟨); Caton, Woods
Unused: Rogerson, Grant, Brown
Unused: Rogerson, Grant, Brown