Walsall returned to Sky Bet League Two action on Saturday afternoon as they made their way to the Nigel Eady County Ground and took on Swindon Town.Walsall began the game brightly, with Aaron Pressley crossing an early ball to Reece Smith, whose strike from outside the area was well blocked.
Swindon were quick to work the ball up to the other end, where they had more luck, as a long throw from Ollie Clark found Stephan Negru, who played the ball across goal for Aaron Drinan who turned home from close range, to open the scoring just five minutes into the contest.
The hosts continued to press, with Drinan looking to add a second, just two minutes after the first, but being caught offside, before going on to win a corner, in the tenth minute, as Ryan Leak turned the ball behind, though nothing would come of that.
There was a brief halt to proceedings in the fourteenth minute, allowing Negru a moment to recover, but he was soon back on his feet and able to continue.
Jack Thomson looked to double Swindon's advantage in the sixteenth minute, taking possession of the ball on the halfway line, before firing an effort goal-wards from some thirty-five yards out, but his strike sailed narrowly wide of the upright.
Town continued to enjoy a bright spell of play, going close again in the twenty-second minute, as Anthony Munda played the ball to Joseph Hungbo, whose shot from outside the box failed to find the target as it went wide.
Walsall saw plenty of the ball during the opening half an hour, but were unable to create much of note, their first chance coming in the twenty-sixth minute, as Negru turned the ball behind to gift them a corner, but Smith's ball in was headed wide by James Connolly.
A second corner followed, two minutes later, as Negru again turned the ball behind, but the Saddlers were unable to make it count, as Mason Hancock's cross was headed goal-wards by Pressley, only for Swindon shot-stopper, Connor Ripley to make the save.
Town were quick to work the ball back up to the other end, where first Hungbo saw a strike blocked, before Antwoine Hackford's follow-up effort sailed high and wide of the target.
The hosts continued to press, with Mitchell Clark drawing a save from Walsall 'keeper, Jed Ward, in the thirty-first minute, before the shot-stopper was called into action again moments later to deny Munda.
There was another brief pause in play, in the thirty-second minute, allowing Tai Sodje a moment to recover, but he too was soon back on his feet and able to continue.
Sodje then went close, in the thirty-fifth minute, with an effort from the left, which drew a save from Ripley.
The Saddlers continued to search for an equaliser, with Sodje breaking with the ball in the thirty-seventh minute, before crossing to Pressley, whose strike from the right sailed narrowly wide of the target.
Swindon won a free-kick in a promising position, in the forty-second minute, as Sven Sprangler fouled Hungbo. Billy Kirkman crossed the ball into the box from the set-piece, finding Negru, whose shot from the centre of the box sailed over the crossbar.
Walsall won a corner at the other end, moments later, as Ripley turned an effort from Sodje behind, though nothing would come of it, as Hancock's ball in was headed wide by Pressley.
Four additional minutes were added to end the first-half, during which time, Leak saw a headed effort sail high and wide. That would prove to be the final action of note before the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments, with Swindon leading by one-goal-to-nil at the break.
Swindon were quick to work the ball up to the other end, where they had more luck, as a long throw from Ollie Clark found Stephan Negru, who played the ball across goal for Aaron Drinan who turned home from close range, to open the scoring just five minutes into the contest.
The hosts continued to press, with Drinan looking to add a second, just two minutes after the first, but being caught offside, before going on to win a corner, in the tenth minute, as Ryan Leak turned the ball behind, though nothing would come of that.
There was a brief halt to proceedings in the fourteenth minute, allowing Negru a moment to recover, but he was soon back on his feet and able to continue.
Jack Thomson looked to double Swindon's advantage in the sixteenth minute, taking possession of the ball on the halfway line, before firing an effort goal-wards from some thirty-five yards out, but his strike sailed narrowly wide of the upright.
Town continued to enjoy a bright spell of play, going close again in the twenty-second minute, as Anthony Munda played the ball to Joseph Hungbo, whose shot from outside the box failed to find the target as it went wide.
Walsall saw plenty of the ball during the opening half an hour, but were unable to create much of note, their first chance coming in the twenty-sixth minute, as Negru turned the ball behind to gift them a corner, but Smith's ball in was headed wide by James Connolly.
A second corner followed, two minutes later, as Negru again turned the ball behind, but the Saddlers were unable to make it count, as Mason Hancock's cross was headed goal-wards by Pressley, only for Swindon shot-stopper, Connor Ripley to make the save.
Town were quick to work the ball back up to the other end, where first Hungbo saw a strike blocked, before Antwoine Hackford's follow-up effort sailed high and wide of the target.
The hosts continued to press, with Mitchell Clark drawing a save from Walsall 'keeper, Jed Ward, in the thirty-first minute, before the shot-stopper was called into action again moments later to deny Munda.
There was another brief pause in play, in the thirty-second minute, allowing Tai Sodje a moment to recover, but he too was soon back on his feet and able to continue.
Sodje then went close, in the thirty-fifth minute, with an effort from the left, which drew a save from Ripley.
The Saddlers continued to search for an equaliser, with Sodje breaking with the ball in the thirty-seventh minute, before crossing to Pressley, whose strike from the right sailed narrowly wide of the target.
Swindon won a free-kick in a promising position, in the forty-second minute, as Sven Sprangler fouled Hungbo. Billy Kirkman crossed the ball into the box from the set-piece, finding Negru, whose shot from the centre of the box sailed over the crossbar.
Walsall won a corner at the other end, moments later, as Ripley turned an effort from Sodje behind, though nothing would come of it, as Hancock's ball in was headed wide by Pressley.
Four additional minutes were added to end the first-half, during which time, Leak saw a headed effort sail high and wide. That would prove to be the final action of note before the sides headed off to enjoy their half-time refreshments, with Swindon leading by one-goal-to-nil at the break.
HALF-TIME
| SWINDON | 1-0 | WALSALL |
Walsall opted to make a change to their line-up as the sides returned, with Ryan Leak sitting out the second-half, as Elicha Ahui took his place.
The second-half began as a fairly even affair, but it was Walsall who created the first chance, as Hancock crossed the ball into the box, for Pressley, in the fifty-second minute, but the header goal-wards sailed narrowly wide of the target.
The visiting side continued to press, winning a corner in the fifty-fifth minute, as a Sprangler shot was turned wide by Munda. The ball in found Hancock, whose strike was saved by Ripley, before Sodje headed a follow-up effort home from close range to level the scores.
Walsall manager, Lee Grant was shown the yellow card in the fifty-ninth minute, as he was cautioned for dissent.
The Saddlers looked to add a second as we reached the hour mark, with Courtney Clarke crossing the ball into the box for Pressley, whose effort was saved by Ripley.
Swindon opted to make a triple substitution in the sixty-first minute, with Antwoine Hackford, Joseph Hungbo and Ollie Clarke all making way, as Louis Millard, Matty Virtue and Joe Snowdon joined the fray.
Walsall thought they had taken the lead in the sixty-sixth minute, as Sodje found the back of the net, but an infringement of the offside rule meant the goal would not stand.
The hosts were quick to work the ball up to the other end, where Millard crossed into the box for Snowdon, whose effort on goal was saved by Ward. The resulting corner came to nothing, as Thomson's ball in was headed over by Drinan.
The Saddlers chose to make their second change of the afternoon, in the sixty-ninth minute, as Isaac Moore made way for Charlie Crew.
Fifteen minutes from time, Walsall could have taken the lead, as Clarke crossed the ball into the box for Pressley, but the strikers effort sailed high and wide of the target.
In the seventy-sixth minute, Swindon chose to make their fourth change of the game, with Anthony Munda making way for Jaylan Pearman.
James Ball became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul on Clarke, in the seventy-seventh minute.
Ten minutes from time, Swindon opted to make their final substitution of the afternoon, with James Ball making way for Kaelan Majekodunmi.
The Saddlers also took the opportunity to introduce some fresh legs, with Courtney Clarke and Mason Hancock departing, as Lewis Simper and James Furlong joined the action.
Five minutes from time, the visiting side chose to make their final change of the afternoon, with Tai Sodje making way for Andy Dallas.
The game remained a fairly settled affair, until the eighty-ninth minute, when Smith played the ball in for Dallas, whose strike drew a save from Ripley.
The hosts broke quickly through Snowdon, whose ball forwards found Millard, who fired goal-wards from outside the area, sending the ball wide, before Dinan looked to play in Clark, whose effort on goal also missed the target.
Four additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time, Kirkman saw an effort from distance blocked, before a Pearman strike was saved by Ward.
The Saddlers also created one final chance, as Ward played the ball forwards for Dallas, whose strike from outside the area sailed high and wide of the target.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the game was brought to its conclusion with the scores tied at one-goal-apiece. A decent point on the road for the Saddlers.
The second-half began as a fairly even affair, but it was Walsall who created the first chance, as Hancock crossed the ball into the box, for Pressley, in the fifty-second minute, but the header goal-wards sailed narrowly wide of the target.
The visiting side continued to press, winning a corner in the fifty-fifth minute, as a Sprangler shot was turned wide by Munda. The ball in found Hancock, whose strike was saved by Ripley, before Sodje headed a follow-up effort home from close range to level the scores.
Walsall manager, Lee Grant was shown the yellow card in the fifty-ninth minute, as he was cautioned for dissent.
The Saddlers looked to add a second as we reached the hour mark, with Courtney Clarke crossing the ball into the box for Pressley, whose effort was saved by Ripley.
Swindon opted to make a triple substitution in the sixty-first minute, with Antwoine Hackford, Joseph Hungbo and Ollie Clarke all making way, as Louis Millard, Matty Virtue and Joe Snowdon joined the fray.
Walsall thought they had taken the lead in the sixty-sixth minute, as Sodje found the back of the net, but an infringement of the offside rule meant the goal would not stand.
The hosts were quick to work the ball up to the other end, where Millard crossed into the box for Snowdon, whose effort on goal was saved by Ward. The resulting corner came to nothing, as Thomson's ball in was headed over by Drinan.
The Saddlers chose to make their second change of the afternoon, in the sixty-ninth minute, as Isaac Moore made way for Charlie Crew.
Fifteen minutes from time, Walsall could have taken the lead, as Clarke crossed the ball into the box for Pressley, but the strikers effort sailed high and wide of the target.
In the seventy-sixth minute, Swindon chose to make their fourth change of the game, with Anthony Munda making way for Jaylan Pearman.
James Ball became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul on Clarke, in the seventy-seventh minute.
Ten minutes from time, Swindon opted to make their final substitution of the afternoon, with James Ball making way for Kaelan Majekodunmi.
The Saddlers also took the opportunity to introduce some fresh legs, with Courtney Clarke and Mason Hancock departing, as Lewis Simper and James Furlong joined the action.
Five minutes from time, the visiting side chose to make their final change of the afternoon, with Tai Sodje making way for Andy Dallas.
The game remained a fairly settled affair, until the eighty-ninth minute, when Smith played the ball in for Dallas, whose strike drew a save from Ripley.
The hosts broke quickly through Snowdon, whose ball forwards found Millard, who fired goal-wards from outside the area, sending the ball wide, before Dinan looked to play in Clark, whose effort on goal also missed the target.
Four additional minutes were added to end the match, during which time, Kirkman saw an effort from distance blocked, before a Pearman strike was saved by Ward.
The Saddlers also created one final chance, as Ward played the ball forwards for Dallas, whose strike from outside the area sailed high and wide of the target.
That would prove to be the final action of note, and the game was brought to its conclusion with the scores tied at one-goal-apiece. A decent point on the road for the Saddlers.
FULL-TIME
| SWINDON | 1-1 | WALSALL |
| DRINAN (5') | SODJE (55') |
| AT | COUNTY GROUND |
| REFEREE | ALEX CHILOWICZ |
