Walsall's 2026/27 Emirates FA Cup campaign got underway on Saturday afternoon as they made the trip to Rodney Parade where they took on League Two rivals Newport County in the First Round.
After weathering the storm during the opening few minutes, it was Walsall who would open the scoring when Andy Dallas scored his second goal of the season when he was on hand to pick up the pieces following Aaron Pressley's initial header.
The home side didn't allow their heads to drop and went on to level the scores near the midway point of the first-half when Kion Etete smashed the ball high into the Walsall net from a Ciaran Brennan ball.
Newport took the lead just a few minutes later when Michael Adu-Poku was the first to react to his own rebound as Lewis Simper blocked his initial effort before Adu-Poku was able to jab the ball home.
Kion Etete sealed the Exiles' place in Monday's Second Round draw as the match reached the hour mark, the forward reacting first after his initial effort struck the post before the rebound fell into his path.
THE EMIRATES FA CUP
| COUNTY | 3-1 | SADDLERS |
ETETE (19') ADU-POKU (23') ETETE (60') |
GOALSCORERS
|
DALLAS (7')
|
| BRENNAN (19') | ASSISTS | - |
| 43 | POSSESSION (%) | 57 |
| 17 | SHOTS (TOTAL) | 9 |
| 7 | SHOTS (ON TARGET) | 6 |
| 5 | GOALKEEPER SAVES | 4 |
| 4 | CORNERS | 4 |
| 9 | FOULS | 19 |
| 0 | YELLOW CARDS | 4 |
| 0 | RED CARDS | 0 |
| AT | RODNEY PARADE |
| ATTENDANCE | TBC |
| REFEREE | ROBERT MASSEY-ELLIS |
NEWPORT COUNTY
Wright, Norman (Thomas, 79'), Jenkins, Sassi, Davies, Smith (Evans, 90'), Brennan, Biggins, Adu-Poku (Lewis, 56'), Etete (Crole, 90'), Bamba (Gwengwe, 90')
Unused: Turner, Evans, Merritt, Garner
Unused: Turner, Evans, Merritt, Garner
WALSALL
Ward, Ahui, Leak, Skura, Furlong; Sprangler, Crew 🟨 (Moore, 63'), Dallas (Sodje, 63'), Simper (Smith, 63' 🟨), Clarke (Sjoerdsma, 90'); Pressley (Adomah, 76')
Unused: Wooster; Burke, Dixon, Connolly
Unused: Wooster; Burke, Dixon, Connolly
On the Bench: Lee Grant 🟨 Mason Hancock🟨
