Walsall match report part one - the game

WALSALL MATCH REPORT – 5TH MARCH 2016
An easy breeze up the M5 for me for this one and, boy, was it worth the journey, not just for me, but for the excellent number of travelling Reds fans who made it.
The weather was cold and bright and the pitch looked a little bumpy as the following team took the field:
Davies
Connolly Roberts Mawson George Williams
Isgrove Brownhill Hourihane Chapman
Watkins Fletcher

So no Sam Winnall, but sticking with the 4-4-2 system which has fired us up the league so dramatically. A professional debut for Callum Connolly at right back and a first start for Harrison Chapman on the left wing. I was thinking that we were looking a bit thin on experience in one or two areas and wondered if this might be found out by a Walsall side which plays good, canny football under Sean O’Driscoll, as previously under Dean Smith.
We made a bright start, winning an early corner, but Watkins getting his compass directions all wrong with the header, which he won easily enough. The game then became much more balanced and we saw what a good side Walsall are technically. The game was a real credit to League One football, some of the individual and collective skill on display from both sides being of the highest order. Just as I was thinking that Walsall were starting to control a lot of play, we scored through a well-taken finish from young Fletcher, taking the ball wide to find space and then slotting home with great accuracy to give us the lead. We couldn’t underestimate Walsall and they were causing us problems in some areas. They must have done their homework on us by the way they played, both without the ball and with it. The dangerous areas for us were often being caused by Romaine Sawyers, who played a free role just behind Tom Bradshaw, who was also having a very solid game. Sawyers used his freedom to great effect and ran most of Walsall’s good play, of which there was a fair amount. Bradshaw only works as a single striker, because Walsall, like us, play a good passing game, with a lot of ball to feet. He was starting to hold up the ball well and his linking play with Sawyers in particular was starting to threaten us. Walsall created a chance in our area, from which Davies made a splendid save, but there was Bradshaw, doing what a natural goalscorer like Sam Winnall does for us, by picking up the loose ball and tucking it home for a deserved equaliser. At this point I was reflecting on what a good game this could become, both teams showing their individual and collective skills, although, at half time, I was quite relieved that it was still 1-1, especially as Anthony Forde’s excellent free-kick had rattled our right-hand post as well. At times, we were losing the ball too easily and too often, but credit Walsall for pressing us all over the pitch. Another area in which Walsall were stretching us was down our flanks and particularly our left flank. No discredit to George Williams, who had another excellent game, especially going forwards, but an aspect of Harry Chapman’s game which needs developing is the understanding of his role in supporting the defence. Again, no great criticism of such a young player on his first start, but, if he gets as good without the ball as he is with it, he will be some great player – see player ratings in the separate post. There was a fair amount of time added to the first half, due to the strange spectacle of the referee having to be replaced during it. It resulted in an assistant taking over as ref and a chap who looked like Jasper Carrott running the line. I don’t know who he was, but he should definitely stick to the day-job.
We started the second half brightly, as we had the first, but it is a testimony to the effort and team spirit in this young squad that we were able to sustain the additional effort and turn it into greater possession and turn the greater possession into goals. What goals these were. Excellent approach play, backed up with great individual skill on the ball was starting to pick holes in the seemingly resilient Walsall defence and, when they only half-cleared after an attack, the ball fell to Josh Brownhill some good twenty-five yards out and he hit it as sweetly and cleaning as is possible to strike a football, sending the ball screaming past the athletic Etheridge and sending the Reds faithful into raptures. Back came Walsall, stirred into life again and re-doubling their efforts, but now we were standing firm and tall, Roberts and Mawson looking indomitable at the back and thwarting all their best efforts. When the ball broke to Harry Chapman as another Walsall attack broke down, there seemed little on for him, but he had me on my feet as soon as he skipped past the first tackle. On and on he went, defender and defender unable to get the ball off him, finally because he was in the area and it would have been a penalty and the way he slotted the ball under Etheridge was Sheringham, or Best at their best. So, within six minutes, we had scored two goals, either of which could be goal of the season contenders. We brought on Scowen and then Tuton and Khan in added time, of which there was seven minutes due to a facial injury to the impressive Kieron Morris for Walsall. By the time last year’s scourge, Jordan Cook, had limped off, Walsall had used all their subs and the remaining minutes faded away with our managing the game well, keeping the ball well, especially around half-way, or in their half. So, another three points and into the play-off slots and, more than that, playing the sort of quality of football which gives hope that the string of good results will continue. On this evidence, it will need either a very good team, or a very lucky one, to beat us. I don’t think we should underestimate the significance of this result, as it was achieved against a Walsall side who had also been well-drilled and well taught as to strategy to beat us. With both sides showing capability of playing good, organised football, we did well to more than edge it in the end.
Come on you Reds!!!!!

 

Many thanks for posting - much appreciated. Enjoyed reading that.

 

Top man. Read of the evening

 

Thanks for that. I'm starting to think we have an actual chance of promotion this season.

I've just had 10 days off work as I've been on holiday, and I remember last saying to my Wednesday supporting mate, that I felt we were too far off the play offs to make a challenge as we were due a bad patch.

10 days and 10 points later, we're 6th and considering an outside tilt at the top 2.

Sent from my I-Oven using the internets

 

Was there today and agree with your assessment.....particularly about Harry chapman. The boy has talent. Reminds me of erikkson at Spurs......but he does need to work on tracking back and getting a foot in to tackles. But a real prospect.

 

Thanks very much for the report. Much appreciated

 

Thanks for that.