Match Report: Walsall 3 Shrewsbury Town 0

The match was a fairly even contest in the opening minutes, with Shrewsbury seeing plenty of the ball but failing to make the possession pay.

There was a brief halt to proceedings in the seventh minute, allowing Ronan Maher to receive attention from the medical team after picking up a knock, but he was soon back on his feet and able to continue.

Walsall grew into the contest as it continued, going close in the twelfth minute, as Danny Johnson picked up a loose ball, which he threaded through into the path of Reyes Cleary, but nothing would come of the opportunity as the forward was flagged offside.

The visiting side created their first real chance of the game in the sixteenth minute, as Walsall gave the ball away, allowing Tommi O'Reilly a free shot on goal. Fortunately, Saddlers shot-stopper, Sam Hornby was able to get down to keep the low strike out, and the resulting corner came to nothing as George Lloyd fired over from close range.

The hosts soon had the ball back at the other end, as Evan Weir played the ball forwards to Albert Adomah, whose low effort was well saved by Salop 'keeper, Toby Savin.

Walsall were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position, as play continued, but nothing would come of it as Adomah fired over the crossbar.

Town saw an effort sail over the crossbar at the other end, in the twenty-eighth minute, as Jordan Shipley missed the target.

Shrewsbury captain, Carl Winchester became the first player to see yellow, as he was cautioned following a foul on Jack Earing, in the thirty-third minute.

The hosts were unable to make use of the resulting free-kick, but won a corner moments later as Jordan Shipley turned a Cleary effort behind, though nothing would come of that either.

Walsall continued to press though, with Johnson seeing an effort sail over the crossbar, in the thirty-seventh minute, though nothing would have come of the chance anyway, as the flag was raised.

Town went close at the other end moments later, as Lloyd crossed a good ball in for Shipley, whose headed effort from close range sailed wide of the upright.

The Saddlers won another corner, in the forty-first minute, as Rico Browne found Johnson with a cross into the box, with the strikers effort on goal then turned behind by George Nurse. Nothing would come of the flag-kick though, as Alex Gilliead eventually cleared the danger.

The visiting side went close late in the first-half, as Lloyd managed to work the ball to Charles Sagoe Jr. whose effort on goal was well saved by an alert Hornby.

One additional minute was added to end the first-half action, but neither side was able to create anything further before heading off to enjoy their half-time refreshments. The scores still tied at the break.

The teams returned unchanged after the break, and the action got back underway. Walsall won a free-kick in a promising position just one minute after the restart, as Adomah was fouled by Winchester, but nothing would come of the set-piece.

Walsall opened the scoring in the fifty-third minute, winning a corner, which Weir curled towards the back post, at the second time of asking, for Cleary, who fired home into the bottom corner.

Shrewsbury looked to respond quickly, with Shipley firing goal-wards from the edge of the area, in the fifty-fifth minute, but Hornby was alert to the danger and made the save to deny him.

The Saddlers doubled their advantage ten minutes after taking the lead, as Browne played a long ball over the top for Hall, who launched a solo run into the box before coolly slotting home to secure his first goal for the club.

Town responded to the goal by making their first changes of the evening, as Charles Sagoe Jr. and Carl Winchester departed in favour of Tom Bloxham and Jordan Rossiter.

The hosts could have added a third goal to their tally for the evening, in the sixty-seventh minute, but Earing's shot from close range was blocked.

Twenty minutes from time, Walsall opted to make four changes to their line-up, with Ronan Maher, Charlie Lakin, Reyes Cleary and Danny Johnson making way for Taylor Allen, Ryan Stirk, Nathan Lowe and Jamille Matt.

The home side continued to test their opposition as the game continued, winning a corner fifteen minutes from time, as Feeney turned a Lowe effort behind, but nothing would come of it, as Oisin McEntee's headed effort was blocked behind by Luca Hoole resulting in another flag-kick, from which the danger was cleared.

Jordan Shipley became the second player to see yellow, as he was cautioned in the seventy-eighth minute, following a foul on Adomah.

Walsall won another corner in the seventy-ninth minute, as an Allen effort was turned behind, but nothing would come of that set-piece either, as Weir's ball in fell to Savin, who cleared the danger.

Ten minutes from time, both sides opted to make further changes, with Tommi O'Reilly making way for Issac Godwin as Walsall replaced George Hall with Jamie Jellis.

The hosts put the game to bed in the eighty-fifth minute, as Allen crossed the ball into the area for Lowe, who headed home into the bottom corner.

Shrewsbury had a late chance to pull one back, in the eighty-seventh minute, as Rossiter fired a low effort in from distance, but Hornby was on hand to turn the ball behind, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.

Four 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 Walsall winning by three-goals-to-one, topping the group, as Shrewsbury failed to advance in the competition.