Walsall were back in League Two action on Saturday afternoon as they welcomed Rochdale to the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium.Following a minute of applause in memory of David McDermott, the match got underway. Rochdale began the game brightly, and could have opened the scoring just four minutes in, as former Saddler, Aden Flint crossed the ball in from the right, looking for Emmanuel Dieseruvwe, but the ball was intercepted before it could reach the striker.
The visiting side continued to see plenty of the ball, and created another chance to open the scoring in the eighth minute, as Luke Hannant crossed the ball in for Dieseruvwe, but the striker was unable to direct his header on target.
Walsall grew into the game as it continued, seeing more of the ball, whilst still creating little of note in the early goings. The hosts did win a free-kick, fifteen minutes in though, as Elicha Ahui was fouled, but Mason Hancock's effort sailed narrowly over the crossbar.
The hosts continued to enjoy a brighter spell of play, with Charlie Crew picking out Tai Sodje, in the nineteenth minute, but the number seven was unable to beat Rochdale 'keeper, Nils Ramming, who gathered with relative ease.
Walsall went on to win a corner, two minutes later, as Reece Smith's ball in deflected behind off Dajaune Brown. Nothing would come of the flag-kick, however, as a Hancock effort was blocked, before Crew also saw a follow-up effort blocked.
The Saddlers soon had the ball back inside the Rochdale box, as Hancock saw a shot saved at the near post, before Aaron Pressley turned the rebound back in, only to see his close range strike blocked behind for a corner, which came to nothing.
Charlie Crew became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul on Hannant in the twenty-ninth minute. The resulting free-kick saw Baba Adeeko hit the crossbar, before winning a corner as Ahui blocked the follow-up effort behind, though nothing would come of the flag-kick.
Walsall soon had the ball back at the other end, where Hancock found Smith outside the area, though he was unable to find the target as his shot was blocked.
Rochdale won a corner at the other end, five minutes from time, as Walsall shot-stopper, Jed Ward, turned a Brown strike from outside the box behind. Nothing would come of the opportunity though.
The visiting side continued to press, winning another corner, in the forty-second minute, as Ward again thwarted Brown. Nothing would come of that either, as Hannant's cross was headed wide by Flint.
One additional minute was added to end the first-half, but there was little further action of note, and the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with the scores still tied.
The visiting side continued to see plenty of the ball, and created another chance to open the scoring in the eighth minute, as Luke Hannant crossed the ball in for Dieseruvwe, but the striker was unable to direct his header on target.
Walsall grew into the game as it continued, seeing more of the ball, whilst still creating little of note in the early goings. The hosts did win a free-kick, fifteen minutes in though, as Elicha Ahui was fouled, but Mason Hancock's effort sailed narrowly over the crossbar.
The hosts continued to enjoy a brighter spell of play, with Charlie Crew picking out Tai Sodje, in the nineteenth minute, but the number seven was unable to beat Rochdale 'keeper, Nils Ramming, who gathered with relative ease.
Walsall went on to win a corner, two minutes later, as Reece Smith's ball in deflected behind off Dajaune Brown. Nothing would come of the flag-kick, however, as a Hancock effort was blocked, before Crew also saw a follow-up effort blocked.
The Saddlers soon had the ball back inside the Rochdale box, as Hancock saw a shot saved at the near post, before Aaron Pressley turned the rebound back in, only to see his close range strike blocked behind for a corner, which came to nothing.
Charlie Crew became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul on Hannant in the twenty-ninth minute. The resulting free-kick saw Baba Adeeko hit the crossbar, before winning a corner as Ahui blocked the follow-up effort behind, though nothing would come of the flag-kick.
Walsall soon had the ball back at the other end, where Hancock found Smith outside the area, though he was unable to find the target as his shot was blocked.
Rochdale won a corner at the other end, five minutes from time, as Walsall shot-stopper, Jed Ward, turned a Brown strike from outside the box behind. Nothing would come of the opportunity though.
The visiting side continued to press, winning another corner, in the forty-second minute, as Ward again thwarted Brown. Nothing would come of that either, as Hannant's cross was headed wide by Flint.
One additional minute was added to end the first-half, but there was little further action of note, and the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments with the scores still tied.
HALF-TIME
| WALSALL | 0-0 | AWAY |
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and play got back underway. There was a brief halt to proceedings, after just four minutes of play, allowing Dan Moss to receive some attention from the Dale medics, following a heavy landing, but he was soon back on his feet and able to continue.
Walsall went close to taking a lead in the fifty-second minute, but Hancock's initial strike was denied by an alert Ramming, before the follow-up effort from James Connolly, which appeared destined for the corner, was cleared off the line by Moss.
Baba Adeeko became the second player to see yellow, as he was cautioned in the fifty-third minute, following a foul on Antony Evans.
The Saddlers continued to enjoy a bright spell, seeing much of the ball, and going close again, in the fifty-sixth minute, as Sodje crossed the ball to Crew, who fired goal-wards from outside the box, but dragged his effort narrowly wide.
As we reached the hour mark, the hosts won a corner, as Charlie Tasker turned the ball behind. The danger was initially cleared by Flint who headed it away from goal, but the Saddlers picked up the loose ball and worked it back in for Pressley, who headed over from close range.
Walsall chose to make their first changes of the afternoon in the sixty-first minute, with Charlie Crew and Antony Evans making way for Isaac Moore and Courtney Clarke.
Four minutes later, Rochdale also opted to make a change to their line-up, with Luke Hannant departing, as Glenn Middleton joined the fray.
The Saddlers continued to see much of the ball after the changes were completed, and could have opened the scoring in the sixty-sixth minute, Moore crossed the ball into the box for Pressley, but the strikers effort on goal was blocked.
The home side pressed on, going close again two minutes later, as Moore headed the ball on for Sodje, who fired goal-wards from the centre of the box, forcing a good save from Ramming to keep the scores level. The hosts soon had the ball back, with Smith crossing the ball in for Hancock, but his effort was blocked by Harvey Gilmour.
There was another pause in play in the seventieth minute, allowing Moss to again receive treatment, following a collision with Ramming. He was soon back up and able to continue.
Fifteen minutes from time, Rochdale chose to make their second change of the afternoon, with Kane Taylor making way for Jonny Smith.
Walsall went close again moments after the change was completed, as Moore crossed the ball to Reece Smith, who fired goal-wards from outside the area, only to see his effort blocked by Tasker.
Harvey Gilmour joined those listed in the referee's notebook, in the seventy-seventh minute, as he was cautioned following a foul on Sodje.
The hosts continued to look the team more likely to score as play continued, with Sven Sprangler crossing the ball to Clarke in the seventy-ninth minute, but Ramming remained alert to the danger, and made a relatively easy save to deny the midfielder.
Walsall chose to make their third change of the afternoon, in the eighty-second minute, as Tai Sodje was replaced by Andy Dallas.
Two minutes after that, Rochdale opted to introduce some fresh legs, with Dan Moss and Emmanuel Dieseruvwe departing, as Laurence Maguire and Tobi Adebayo-Rowling joined the action.
Things remained settled for a few minutes after that, and with eighty-eight minutes on the clock, the Saddlers made their final change of the game, with Elicha Ahui being making way for Lewis Simper.
Seven minutes were added to end the match, during which time the Saddlers continued to seek a winner, with Reece Smith seeing an effort from outside the area blocked, before Simper also saw a shot blocked.
Glenn Middleton joined those playing on a caution, four minutes into those added, as he was shown the yellow card for time wasting.
Ramming was forced into a save late in added time, as Hancock crossed a promising ball in for Simper, but the shot-stopper was well positioned to gather the overhead effort.
That would prove to be the final action of note, as the referee called time on the contest with the scores still unchanged. A frustrating afternoon for the Walsall faithful, who watched their team fail to score, despite enjoying around seventy percent of possession, from which they fired off no less than twenty-four efforts on goal.
Walsall went close to taking a lead in the fifty-second minute, but Hancock's initial strike was denied by an alert Ramming, before the follow-up effort from James Connolly, which appeared destined for the corner, was cleared off the line by Moss.
Baba Adeeko became the second player to see yellow, as he was cautioned in the fifty-third minute, following a foul on Antony Evans.
The Saddlers continued to enjoy a bright spell, seeing much of the ball, and going close again, in the fifty-sixth minute, as Sodje crossed the ball to Crew, who fired goal-wards from outside the box, but dragged his effort narrowly wide.
As we reached the hour mark, the hosts won a corner, as Charlie Tasker turned the ball behind. The danger was initially cleared by Flint who headed it away from goal, but the Saddlers picked up the loose ball and worked it back in for Pressley, who headed over from close range.
Walsall chose to make their first changes of the afternoon in the sixty-first minute, with Charlie Crew and Antony Evans making way for Isaac Moore and Courtney Clarke.
Four minutes later, Rochdale also opted to make a change to their line-up, with Luke Hannant departing, as Glenn Middleton joined the fray.
The Saddlers continued to see much of the ball after the changes were completed, and could have opened the scoring in the sixty-sixth minute, Moore crossed the ball into the box for Pressley, but the strikers effort on goal was blocked.
The home side pressed on, going close again two minutes later, as Moore headed the ball on for Sodje, who fired goal-wards from the centre of the box, forcing a good save from Ramming to keep the scores level. The hosts soon had the ball back, with Smith crossing the ball in for Hancock, but his effort was blocked by Harvey Gilmour.
There was another pause in play in the seventieth minute, allowing Moss to again receive treatment, following a collision with Ramming. He was soon back up and able to continue.
Fifteen minutes from time, Rochdale chose to make their second change of the afternoon, with Kane Taylor making way for Jonny Smith.
Walsall went close again moments after the change was completed, as Moore crossed the ball to Reece Smith, who fired goal-wards from outside the area, only to see his effort blocked by Tasker.
Harvey Gilmour joined those listed in the referee's notebook, in the seventy-seventh minute, as he was cautioned following a foul on Sodje.
The hosts continued to look the team more likely to score as play continued, with Sven Sprangler crossing the ball to Clarke in the seventy-ninth minute, but Ramming remained alert to the danger, and made a relatively easy save to deny the midfielder.
Walsall chose to make their third change of the afternoon, in the eighty-second minute, as Tai Sodje was replaced by Andy Dallas.
Two minutes after that, Rochdale opted to introduce some fresh legs, with Dan Moss and Emmanuel Dieseruvwe departing, as Laurence Maguire and Tobi Adebayo-Rowling joined the action.
Things remained settled for a few minutes after that, and with eighty-eight minutes on the clock, the Saddlers made their final change of the game, with Elicha Ahui being making way for Lewis Simper.
Seven minutes were added to end the match, during which time the Saddlers continued to seek a winner, with Reece Smith seeing an effort from outside the area blocked, before Simper also saw a shot blocked.
Glenn Middleton joined those playing on a caution, four minutes into those added, as he was shown the yellow card for time wasting.
Ramming was forced into a save late in added time, as Hancock crossed a promising ball in for Simper, but the shot-stopper was well positioned to gather the overhead effort.
That would prove to be the final action of note, as the referee called time on the contest with the scores still unchanged. A frustrating afternoon for the Walsall faithful, who watched their team fail to score, despite enjoying around seventy percent of possession, from which they fired off no less than twenty-four efforts on goal.
FULL-TIME
| WALSALL | 0-0 | ROCHDALE |
| AT | BESCOT STADIUM |
| REFEREE | JIMMY O'CONNOR |