Match Preview: v Grimsby Town (A)
Today at 03:00 AM
The Saddlers will be back in League Two action this weekend. They'll travel to Blundell Park to take on Grimsby Town.
PRE-MATCH NEWS & VIEWS
After last weekend's first-ever meeting with Bromley was postponed due to international call-ups, the Saddlers will be looking to halt a recent winless run on the back of a welcome fortnight break.
Playing fifteen games in all competitions ahead of the international break, the Saddlers can be forgiven for looking a little leggy in recent games, and will hopefully be up for the fight this weekend.
The recent two-all draw with Chesterfield gave us yet another glimpse of the yin and yang that is Walsall FC. Going into the game on the back of a 6-2 thumping by Fleetwood Town we were all expecting a response but were left with a feeling of frustration.
Two Nathan Lowe goals were twice cancelled out by Chesterfield as the Saddlers were just unable to put the game to bed - a poor refereeing decision to deny Walsall a penalty also playing a part - as a handful of opportunities fell by the wayside.
But, with thirty-six league games still to play, it's important not to dwell upon recent results and performances, especially as the Saddlers have already proven they are more than capable of competing with the best the league has to offer. On to Blundell Park!
WALSALL TEAM NEWS
Walsall remain without the services of defenders Priestley Farquharson and Oisin Mcentee along with forward Josh Gordon, who continue to work their way back from various injury issues.
Two weeks without football should have helped some of the walking wounded recover some of their fitness, allowing the gaffer to explore some of his options for this Saturday's outing.
OPPOSITION NEWS
Opponents Grimsby Town weren't afforded a weekend without football as last Saturday they made their way to the Peninsula Stadium in Greater Manchester as they took on Salford City.
After taking the lead via on-loan teenage Brighton and Hove Albion striker Luca Barrington's goal fifty-five seconds into the game, the Mariners were able to bounce back from Cole Stockton's leveller to take the win via Barrington's second in first-half stoppage time.
Sitting just outside the Play-Off places ahead of kick-off, Grimsby will pose a major threat to the Saddlers, especially as Walsall have seen their early season form slowly fade, although, as mentioned earlier, the break probably came at the right time.
Former Walsall goalkeeper Jackson Smith is in line for a start as his emergency loan move was extended by a further seven days earlier this week.
FORM IN FIVE
Here is how the Saddlers and their opponents Grimsby Town have fared in their last five Sky Bet League Two games.
GRIMSBY TOWN | WALSALL |
WWWLW | WWWLD |
HEAD-TO-HEAD
There have been seventy competitive meetings between Walsall and Grimsby Town and it's the Saddlers who hold an overall head-to-head lead having won thirty-three occasions, with the Mariners securing the win twenty-four times.
There have been thirteen draws over the history of the fixture. A history which began at the Chuckery on Saturday, 22nd October 1892 as Walsall Town Swifts and Grimsby Town met in a League Division Two clash, the home side winning 3-1.
THE LAST TIME WE MET
The most recent meeting was a League Two match that took place at Blundell Park on New Year's Day, Monday, 1st January 2024, and saw the Saddlers ring in 2024 in style as they eased to victory by six-goals-to-one.
The first goal of the game went the way of the hosts as, with around thirty-minutes of the first-half played, Danny Rose got on the end of a Kieran Green cross to prod the ball into the back of the Walsall net.
The Mariners' lead didn't last long, however, as Douglas James-Taylor levelled the scores nine minutes later as he broke away from his marker to put the ball home, getting his team back on track.
Walsall went on to take the lead a few minutes before half-time as Isaac Hutchinson grabbed his tenth goal of the season after a superb attacking move saw James-Taylor feed Hutchinson, who was only too happy to crash the ball home.
Walsall added to their head five minutes into the second half as Jack Earing, who was making just his second start in a year, got on the end of a Danny Johnson pass to make it 3-1 to the Saddlers.
Mat Sadler's men continued to pile misery upon their opponents as Isaac Hutchinson was afforded an opportunity to add another goal as Kamil Conteh felled Earing inside the area leaving referee Ed Duckworth little opportunity to point to the spot as Isaac stepped up and slotted home.
The goalscoring didn't end there either, as Priestly Farquharson got on the end of Taylor Allen's pass to bundle the ball into the back of the net, a nightmare of an afternoon for the hosts.
Walsall bagged their sixth goal of the contest in second-half injury time as Danny Johnson grabbed an all-too-rare goal following Isaac Hutchinson's well-judged pass.
MATCH OFFICIALS
The EFL has confirmed that Scott Jackson who is based on Merseyside will take charge of the match with Jonathon Block and David Hutton being named as assistant referees, whilst Timothy Walker has been selected as the Fourth Official.
GAMES OFFICIATED |
8 |
YELLOW CARDS | RED CARDS |
30 | 2 |
PENALTIES AWARDED |
0 |
