Walsall's 2026/27 League Two campaign continued on Saturday afternoon as they made their way to the JobServe Community Stadium and took on Colchester United.Following a moment of silence ahead of Remembrance Sunday, the match got underway.
Walsall began the game brightly, and it took them just three minutes to take the lead, as Ellis Iandolo conceded a corner, from which Reece Smith crossed the ball into the box for Declan Skura, who found the bottom corner from close range.
Things settled after that, with both sides enjoying spells with the ball, with neither creating anything to test the others defences.
Colchester felt they should have been awarded a penalty, as we reached the quarter hour mark, as Oscar Thorn went down inside the area, but the referee was unmoved by their appeals and waved play on.
Walsall were quick to work the ball back to the other end, where they could have scored themselves, as Skura looked to turn provider, but Tai Sodje was unable to find the target, with an effort which sailed narrowly wide.
The hosts could have levelled the scores in the twentieth minute, as a through ball from Moses Sesay found Jack Payne, but Saddlers shot-stopper, Jed Ward was alert to the danger and made the save, with the ball being turned behind for a corner. Payne played the ball in from the flag-kick, for Sean Raggett, who headed home, but a foul in the build-up saw the goal chalked off.
The Saddlers set about looking to extend their lead, with Sodje seeing a twenty-sixth minute effort blocked, before a follow-up shot missed the target. The visitors continued to press, with Aaron Pressley crossing the ball to Smith, who fired goal-wards from outside the area, drawing a save from Colchester 'keeper, Thimothée Lo-Tutala.
At the other end, Jack Tucker looked to play in Payne, but the United number ten was unable to find the target as his effort was blocked.
Elicha Ahui became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned, in the thirty-fourth minute, following a foul on Sesay, which also gifted the hosts a penalty. Payne stepped forth to take the spot-kick and duly converted to level the scores.
The hosts continued to press, winning a corner in the thirty-eighth minute, as James Connolly turned the ball behind, with a second following moments later, as Ahui blocked a Raggett strike; nothing would come of that either, as a third flag-kick was won by Kane Vincent-Young, as Connolly blocked another effort behind. Eventually the Saddlers were able to clear the ball, but not before Ward gifted the hosts a fourth corner kick.
Two additional minutes were added to end the first-half, but there was little further action of note, and the sides headed off at the break with the scores tied at one-goal-apiece.
Things settled after that, with both sides enjoying spells with the ball, with neither creating anything to test the others defences.
Colchester felt they should have been awarded a penalty, as we reached the quarter hour mark, as Oscar Thorn went down inside the area, but the referee was unmoved by their appeals and waved play on.
Walsall were quick to work the ball back to the other end, where they could have scored themselves, as Skura looked to turn provider, but Tai Sodje was unable to find the target, with an effort which sailed narrowly wide.
The hosts could have levelled the scores in the twentieth minute, as a through ball from Moses Sesay found Jack Payne, but Saddlers shot-stopper, Jed Ward was alert to the danger and made the save, with the ball being turned behind for a corner. Payne played the ball in from the flag-kick, for Sean Raggett, who headed home, but a foul in the build-up saw the goal chalked off.
The Saddlers set about looking to extend their lead, with Sodje seeing a twenty-sixth minute effort blocked, before a follow-up shot missed the target. The visitors continued to press, with Aaron Pressley crossing the ball to Smith, who fired goal-wards from outside the area, drawing a save from Colchester 'keeper, Thimothée Lo-Tutala.
At the other end, Jack Tucker looked to play in Payne, but the United number ten was unable to find the target as his effort was blocked.
Elicha Ahui became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned, in the thirty-fourth minute, following a foul on Sesay, which also gifted the hosts a penalty. Payne stepped forth to take the spot-kick and duly converted to level the scores.
The hosts continued to press, winning a corner in the thirty-eighth minute, as James Connolly turned the ball behind, with a second following moments later, as Ahui blocked a Raggett strike; nothing would come of that either, as a third flag-kick was won by Kane Vincent-Young, as Connolly blocked another effort behind. Eventually the Saddlers were able to clear the ball, but not before Ward gifted the hosts a fourth corner kick.
Two additional minutes were added to end the first-half, but there was little further action of note, and the sides headed off at the break with the scores tied at one-goal-apiece.
HALF-TIME
| COLCHESTER | 1-1 | WALSALL |
Colchester opted to make a change to their line-up as the teams returned, with Leon Chiwome sitting out the second-half, as Jaden Williams joined the fray.
The hosts began the second period brightly, with Payne playing in Thorn, just four minutes in, but Ward was alert to the danger and gathered. United were soon back on the attack though, with Thorn playing the ball in for Paul Digby, whose strike was blocked.
Walsall looked to be in at the other end, in the fifty-fourth minute, as the ball was played into the box for Pressley, whose strike from point-blank range was somehow saved by Lo-Tutala.
United soon had the ball back in the Walsall area, where Ward was called into action to deny Digby, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
They continued to press, with Jaden Williams playing the ball in for Sesay, in the sixty-first minute, but Ward remained alert to the danger and made another good save to keep the ball out. The resulting corner was swung in by Payne, finding Jay Williams, but the header goal-wards failed to find the target.
At the other end, in the sixty-fourth minute, Ahui failed to restore Walsall's earlier lead, as a promising effort sailed high and wide of goal.
Colchester wasted no time getting forwards again, with Jay Williams seeing an effort from outside the area sail wide of the target, in the sixty-fifth minute.
Lewis Simper became the second player to see yellow, in the sixty-eighth minute, as he was cautioned following a foul on Iandolo.
Walsall chose to make their first changes of the afternoon in the seventy-first minute, with Tai Sodje and Lewis Simper making way for Andy Dallas and Courtney Clarke.
The Saddlers could have restored their earlier lead in the seventy-sixth minute, as the hosts failed to fully clear the danger following a corner, but Smith was unable to find the target, with a powerful effort which rattled the crossbar.
Paul Digby joined those listed in the referee's notebook in the seventy-seventh minute, as he was cautioned following a foul on Ward.
The hosts then took the opportunity to introduce some fresh legs, in the the seventy-eighth minute, with Jay Williams and Oscar Thorn making way for Ben Perry and Bradley Ihionvien.
With seventy-nine minutes on the clock, Walsall restored their earlier lead, as Hancock crossed the ball into the box for Pressley, who headed home close range.
The visiting side looked to find a third goal to put the game to bed, winning a corner in the eighty-first minute, as Raggett blocked a Smith effort behind, though nothing would come of the flag-kick.
Mason Hancock joined those playing on a caution, in the eighty-third minute, as he was shown the yellow card for a foul on Sesay.
The Saddlers continued to press, going close again in the eighty-fifth minute, as Smith crossed the ball into the box for Dallas, whose header goal-wards was well saved by Lo-Tutala.
Four minutes from time, Colchester chose to make their fourth change of the afternoon, with Kane Vincent-Young making way for Kien Connolly.
Things remained a little more settled after that, with little action of note before the board went up to indicate that four additional minutes would be played to end the game.
The hosts won a corner one minute into those added, from which Payne crossed the ball into the box for Perry, whose headed effort sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.
In the ninety-fourth minute, Walsall made another change to their line-up, with Charlie Crew making way for Sven Sprangler.
Walsall added a third to their tally for the afternoon, in the ninety-sixth minute, as moments after Dallas saw an effort saved, Clarke found the target.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the match was brought to its conclusion with Walsall winning by three-goals-to-one. A much improved second-half from the Saddlers, who were more clinical in their finishing to ensure they got the job done.
The hosts began the second period brightly, with Payne playing in Thorn, just four minutes in, but Ward was alert to the danger and gathered. United were soon back on the attack though, with Thorn playing the ball in for Paul Digby, whose strike was blocked.
Walsall looked to be in at the other end, in the fifty-fourth minute, as the ball was played into the box for Pressley, whose strike from point-blank range was somehow saved by Lo-Tutala.
United soon had the ball back in the Walsall area, where Ward was called into action to deny Digby, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
They continued to press, with Jaden Williams playing the ball in for Sesay, in the sixty-first minute, but Ward remained alert to the danger and made another good save to keep the ball out. The resulting corner was swung in by Payne, finding Jay Williams, but the header goal-wards failed to find the target.
At the other end, in the sixty-fourth minute, Ahui failed to restore Walsall's earlier lead, as a promising effort sailed high and wide of goal.
Colchester wasted no time getting forwards again, with Jay Williams seeing an effort from outside the area sail wide of the target, in the sixty-fifth minute.
Lewis Simper became the second player to see yellow, in the sixty-eighth minute, as he was cautioned following a foul on Iandolo.
Walsall chose to make their first changes of the afternoon in the seventy-first minute, with Tai Sodje and Lewis Simper making way for Andy Dallas and Courtney Clarke.
The Saddlers could have restored their earlier lead in the seventy-sixth minute, as the hosts failed to fully clear the danger following a corner, but Smith was unable to find the target, with a powerful effort which rattled the crossbar.
Paul Digby joined those listed in the referee's notebook in the seventy-seventh minute, as he was cautioned following a foul on Ward.
The hosts then took the opportunity to introduce some fresh legs, in the the seventy-eighth minute, with Jay Williams and Oscar Thorn making way for Ben Perry and Bradley Ihionvien.
With seventy-nine minutes on the clock, Walsall restored their earlier lead, as Hancock crossed the ball into the box for Pressley, who headed home close range.
The visiting side looked to find a third goal to put the game to bed, winning a corner in the eighty-first minute, as Raggett blocked a Smith effort behind, though nothing would come of the flag-kick.
Mason Hancock joined those playing on a caution, in the eighty-third minute, as he was shown the yellow card for a foul on Sesay.
The Saddlers continued to press, going close again in the eighty-fifth minute, as Smith crossed the ball into the box for Dallas, whose header goal-wards was well saved by Lo-Tutala.
Four minutes from time, Colchester chose to make their fourth change of the afternoon, with Kane Vincent-Young making way for Kien Connolly.
Things remained a little more settled after that, with little action of note before the board went up to indicate that four additional minutes would be played to end the game.
The hosts won a corner one minute into those added, from which Payne crossed the ball into the box for Perry, whose headed effort sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.
In the ninety-fourth minute, Walsall made another change to their line-up, with Charlie Crew making way for Sven Sprangler.
Walsall added a third to their tally for the afternoon, in the ninety-sixth minute, as moments after Dallas saw an effort saved, Clarke found the target.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the match was brought to its conclusion with Walsall winning by three-goals-to-one. A much improved second-half from the Saddlers, who were more clinical in their finishing to ensure they got the job done.
FULL-TIME
| COLCHESTER | 1-3 | WALSALL |
PAYNE [P] (35')
|
SKURA (3') PRESSLEY (79') CLARKE (90+6') |
| AT | COLCHESTER COMMUNITY STADIUM |
| REFEREE | DECLAN BROWN |
