Walsall's Sky Bet League Two campaign got back underway on Saturday afternoon when they made their way to Highbury Stadium and took on Fleetwood Town.After enjoying a week without football, the Saddlers were looking to continue their undefeated start to the 2026/27 League Two campaign.
The match got off to a relatively slow start, with both teams enjoying spells on the ball without creating anything of note.
Nine minutes into the contest, Fleetwood won the first corner of the game, as Walsall shot-stopper, Jed Ward turned the ball behind. The 'keeper was then involved again, as a Harrison Neal cross was headed goal-wards by Ronan Coughlan, but Ward was on hand to make the save.
The hosts continued to enjoy a bright spell, with Lewis McCann crossing the ball into the box, in the eleventh minute, for Shaun Rooney, whose effort on goal was blocked, moments before Adam Murphy also saw a shot blocked.
Things settled a little after that, with the hosts continuing to see much of the ball, without managing to create anything further of note, although they did win another corner, in the seventeenth minute, as Mason Hancock turned the ball behind, though nothing would come of it.
The game settled a little again after that, and Walsall grew into it, seeing their first chance of the afternoon, in the twenty-fourth minute, as Andy Dallas crossed the ball into the box for Lewis Simper, whose effort on goal was saved by Fleetwood 'keeper, Jay Lynch.
The visiting side continued to enjoy a brighter spell of play, with James Connolly heading the ball on for Isaac Moore, in the thirtieth minute, but the midfielder failed to find the target as his effort from distance was blocked.
Fleetwood could have opened the scoring back at the other end, in the thirty-fifth minute, as Ched Evans crossed to Mark Helm, whose shot on goal from outside the box was well saved by Ward, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
The hosts went close again in the forty-second minute, as McCann crossed the ball into the box for Coughlan, whose header goal-wards narrowly missed the target.
One additional minute was added to end the first-half, during which time Hancock fired an effort goal-wards, winning a corner kick for his side as Adam Murphy blocked the strike. Nothing would come of the flag-kick, however, and the referee brought an end to the first-half, with the sides heading in level at the break.
Nine minutes into the contest, Fleetwood won the first corner of the game, as Walsall shot-stopper, Jed Ward turned the ball behind. The 'keeper was then involved again, as a Harrison Neal cross was headed goal-wards by Ronan Coughlan, but Ward was on hand to make the save.
The hosts continued to enjoy a bright spell, with Lewis McCann crossing the ball into the box, in the eleventh minute, for Shaun Rooney, whose effort on goal was blocked, moments before Adam Murphy also saw a shot blocked.
Things settled a little after that, with the hosts continuing to see much of the ball, without managing to create anything further of note, although they did win another corner, in the seventeenth minute, as Mason Hancock turned the ball behind, though nothing would come of it.
The game settled a little again after that, and Walsall grew into it, seeing their first chance of the afternoon, in the twenty-fourth minute, as Andy Dallas crossed the ball into the box for Lewis Simper, whose effort on goal was saved by Fleetwood 'keeper, Jay Lynch.
The visiting side continued to enjoy a brighter spell of play, with James Connolly heading the ball on for Isaac Moore, in the thirtieth minute, but the midfielder failed to find the target as his effort from distance was blocked.
Fleetwood could have opened the scoring back at the other end, in the thirty-fifth minute, as Ched Evans crossed to Mark Helm, whose shot on goal from outside the box was well saved by Ward, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
The hosts went close again in the forty-second minute, as McCann crossed the ball into the box for Coughlan, whose header goal-wards narrowly missed the target.
One additional minute was added to end the first-half, during which time Hancock fired an effort goal-wards, winning a corner kick for his side as Adam Murphy blocked the strike. Nothing would come of the flag-kick, however, and the referee brought an end to the first-half, with the sides heading in level at the break.
HALF-TIME
| FLEETWOOD | 0-0 | WALSALL |
The teams returned unchanged after the break, and the match got back underway. Within three minutes of the restart, we saw the first yellow card of the game, as Sven Sprangler was cautioned following a foul on Evans.
The game settled into something of a midfield battle, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball, without creating anything of note.
With fifty-four minutes on the clock, Rhys Bennett joined Sprangler in the referee's notebook, as he was shown the yellow card for a foul on Dallas.
Things settled again after that, but sixty-one minutes into the contest, Coughlan opened the scoring, as he latched onto a cross from McCann and fired a powerful strike past Ward.
The hosts looked to add to their lead, just two minutes later, as Evans crossed the ball to Coughlan, whose shot from outside the box was well saved by Ward.
With sixty-five minutes played, the Saddlers opted to make their first changes of the afternoon, with Ryan Leak and Sven Sprangler making way for Courtney Clarke and Charlie Crew.
Moments after the changes were completed, Walsall were presented with an opportunity to draw level, having won a free-kick in a promising position, but Connolly was unable to find the target as he headed Simper's cross towards goal, sending the ball narrowly wide.
Twenty minutes from time, the hosts could have doubled their lead, as Rhys Bennett headed the ball on for Coughlan, whose strike from the centre of the box was saved in the bottom corner by an alert Ward.
Harrison Neal joined those playing on a caution, in the seventy-fourth minute, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Moore.
In the seventy-sixth minute, both Reece Smith and Lewis McCann were shown the yellow card, as they were cautioned for dissent.
The hosts soon created another chance to add to their tally, as Coughlan found himself in shooting range, but his strike from outside the box was saved by Ward.
That would prove to be the final action of note for Ronan Coughlan, as he was replaced, in the seventy-eighth minute, by former Walsall loanee, Aaron Loupalo-Bi.
Fleetwood continued to seek further goals as play continued, with McCann seeing an effort from outside the area gathered by Ward, moments before Loupalo-Bi had a shot saved in the bottom corner.
Mark Helm joined those noted in the referee's book, ten minutes from time, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Clarke.
The Saddlers chose to make another double change to their line-up, in the eighty-second minute, as Declan Skura and Lewis Simper were replaced by Elicha Ahui and Tai Sodje.
With eighty-second minutes played, Walsall levelled the scores, as Dallas crossed the ball into the box for Aaron Pressley, who headed home from the centre of the box.
Two minutes from time, the Saddlers could have taken the lead, as Smith played the ball in for Pressley, whose header goal-wards narrowly missed the target.
Fleetwood opted to make another change to their side, in the eighty-ninth minute, as Ched Evans was replaced by Will Davies.
Three additional were added to end the game. One minute into those added, Isaac Moore joined those on a yellow card, as he was cautioned for a foul on Loupalo-Bi. The resulting free-kick saw Neal cross the ball into the box for Rooney, whose headed effort missed the target.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the match was brought to its conclusion with the sides sharing the spoils, having scored one-goal-apiece. A decent point on the road for the Saddlers.
The game settled into something of a midfield battle, with both sides enjoying spells on the ball, without creating anything of note.
With fifty-four minutes on the clock, Rhys Bennett joined Sprangler in the referee's notebook, as he was shown the yellow card for a foul on Dallas.
Things settled again after that, but sixty-one minutes into the contest, Coughlan opened the scoring, as he latched onto a cross from McCann and fired a powerful strike past Ward.
The hosts looked to add to their lead, just two minutes later, as Evans crossed the ball to Coughlan, whose shot from outside the box was well saved by Ward.
With sixty-five minutes played, the Saddlers opted to make their first changes of the afternoon, with Ryan Leak and Sven Sprangler making way for Courtney Clarke and Charlie Crew.
Moments after the changes were completed, Walsall were presented with an opportunity to draw level, having won a free-kick in a promising position, but Connolly was unable to find the target as he headed Simper's cross towards goal, sending the ball narrowly wide.
Twenty minutes from time, the hosts could have doubled their lead, as Rhys Bennett headed the ball on for Coughlan, whose strike from the centre of the box was saved in the bottom corner by an alert Ward.
Harrison Neal joined those playing on a caution, in the seventy-fourth minute, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Moore.
In the seventy-sixth minute, both Reece Smith and Lewis McCann were shown the yellow card, as they were cautioned for dissent.
The hosts soon created another chance to add to their tally, as Coughlan found himself in shooting range, but his strike from outside the box was saved by Ward.
That would prove to be the final action of note for Ronan Coughlan, as he was replaced, in the seventy-eighth minute, by former Walsall loanee, Aaron Loupalo-Bi.
Fleetwood continued to seek further goals as play continued, with McCann seeing an effort from outside the area gathered by Ward, moments before Loupalo-Bi had a shot saved in the bottom corner.
Mark Helm joined those noted in the referee's book, ten minutes from time, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Clarke.
The Saddlers chose to make another double change to their line-up, in the eighty-second minute, as Declan Skura and Lewis Simper were replaced by Elicha Ahui and Tai Sodje.
With eighty-second minutes played, Walsall levelled the scores, as Dallas crossed the ball into the box for Aaron Pressley, who headed home from the centre of the box.
Two minutes from time, the Saddlers could have taken the lead, as Smith played the ball in for Pressley, whose header goal-wards narrowly missed the target.
Fleetwood opted to make another change to their side, in the eighty-ninth minute, as Ched Evans was replaced by Will Davies.
Three additional were added to end the game. One minute into those added, Isaac Moore joined those on a yellow card, as he was cautioned for a foul on Loupalo-Bi. The resulting free-kick saw Neal cross the ball into the box for Rooney, whose headed effort missed the target.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the match was brought to its conclusion with the sides sharing the spoils, having scored one-goal-apiece. A decent point on the road for the Saddlers.
FULL-TIME
| FLEETWOOD | 1-1 | WALSALL |
| COUGHLAN (61') | PRESSLEY (82') |
| AT | HIGHBURY STADIUM |
| REFEREE | JAMIE ROBINSON |
