Match Report: Fleetwood Town 2 Walsall 0

Walsall began the game brightly, though they were unable to create anything of note during the opening ten minutes.

With just twelve minutes on the clock, Fleetwood took the lead after winning a free-kick in a dangerous position. Mackenzie Hunt curled a lovely ball into the danger area from the set-piece, and Shaun Rooney headed home.

Walsall looked to respond quickly to falling a goal behind, but Connor Barrett's fourteenth minute effort from outside the area sailed wide.

Fleetwood were quick to work the ball back to the other end, winning a corner as Harry Williams turned a Mark Helm effort behind. Hunt crossed the ball into the area from the flag-kick, for James Bolton, who fired home from the centre of the box to double his sides advantage, just seventeen minutes into the contest.

Things settled a little as the game continued, but the hosts threatened to add a third goal in the twenty-sixth minute, working the ball upfield with Rooney threatening to break through on goal, but Liam Gordon was alert to the danger and made a crucial interception to prevent a shot on goal.

Town continued to press, winning a free-kick in a dangerous position, two minutes later, as Williams was penalised for a foul on Harrison Neal, but fortunately for the Saddlers nothing would come of the set-piece as Ryan Graydon failed to find the target with his headed effort.

The pressure continued unrelenting, with the hosts winning another corner in the thirty-first minute, from which Hunt found Bolton, whose headed effort sailed narrowly over the crossbar.

Walsall did manage to create some pressure of their own at the other end, moments later, as Gordon looked to play in Albert Adomah, but the strikers effort on goal was denied by Fleetwood shot-stopper, Jay Lynch.

The Saddlers continued to enjoy a brighter spell, with a thirty-seventh minute throw from Williams eventually finding Jamie Jellis at the back post, but the midfielder failed to make a decent connection with the ball, sending it wide.

Jamie Jellis then became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned in the thirty-ninth minute following a foul on Hunt.

Walsall won a corner in the thirty-third minute, giving them a chance to pull a goal back. Gordon's ball into the box found Ethan Wheatley who headed goal-wards, but the hosts cleared the danger.

One additional minute was added to end the first-half, but there was little further action of note, and the sides headed off to regroup, with Fleetwood leading by two-goals-to-nil.

The teams returned unchanged after the break, and the action got back underway. Walsall began the second-half brightly, winning a corner moments after the restart as Finley Potter turned the ball out of play. The ball in from Taylor Allen looked good, but Lynch was alert to the danger and made the save.

The Saddlers continued to press, as they sought to get back into the game, with David Okagbue working the ball back into the danger zone two minutes later, but Gordon was unable to turn the defenders cross home, heading over.

Things settled a little as the game continued, and with fifty-seven minutes on the clock, Walsall chose to make their first change of the evening, with Albert Adomah making way for Josh Gordon.

Fleetwood were awarded a free-kick in a promising position, in the fifty-ninth minute, but nothing would come of the opportunity as the Saddlers cleared the danger.

Josh Gordon was quick to get involved at the other end, as a cross from Ryan Stirk found him at the near post, but Lynch was alert to the danger and made the save.

The hosts chose to make their first substitution of the game in the sixty-first minute, as Harrison Neal departed in favour of Matthew Virtue-Thick.

Walsall went close again moments after the change, as the ball fell to Wheatley, who fired goal-wards from close range, but Lynch got to the ball to keep it out, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.

The Saddlers chose to make two further changes to their line-up, in the sixty-eighth minute, with Jamie Jellis and Ethan Wheatley making for Charlie Lakin and Danny Johnson.

Fleetwood followed suit, adding fresh legs themselves twenty minutes from time, as Ryan Graydon and Mark Helm were replaced by Owen Devonport and Danny Mayor.

James Bolton became the second player to see yellow, as he was cautioned for dissent, in the seventy-third minute.

Kian Harratt joined Bolton in the referee's notebook just three minutes later, as he was shown the yellow card following a foul on Allen.

Walsall won a corner in the seventy-seventh minute, which eventually came out to Lakin on the edge of the area, but Lynch was able to get down to deny him.

Things settled again as the game continued, with Walsall continuing to see much of the ball but struggling to create anything to trouble their opposition defences. The best chance falling to Allen, four minutes from time, though he was unable to find the target, sending the ball over the crossbar.

Three additional minutes were added to end the match, but there was little further action of note, and the game was brought to its conclusion with Fleetwood winning by two-goals-to-nil. A disappointing evening for the Saddlers, who saw much of the ball but were unable to find the target.