Chesterfield 0 Walsall 2 - Report

In the first of two matches against the Spireites, Walsall delivered a superb away performance to beat Paul Cook’s side 2-0 at the SMH Group Stadium to take a commanding lead back to Bescot Stadium on Friday. 

Two goals in the first half, a penalty from Taylor Allen and a first senior goal from Alfie Chang, put Saddlers fans in dreamland at half-time. 

And after a steady second-half display, where they limited Chesterfield to just a couple of chances in front of goal, they held on for a deserved victory, which they enjoyed in front of the travelling Walsall supporters. 

Report

The two sides arrived at the SMH Group Stadium bidding for a place in the League Two play-off final. 

The Spireites or the Saddlers will come up against either Wimbledon or Notts County on May 26 at Wembley. Wimbledon took a narrow 1-0 lead back to Plough Lane after their first-leg win at County, thanks to Riley Harbottle’s goal in the 59th minute on Saturday night. 

The Saddlers had missed out on automatic promotion last weekend as Bradford scored in the 96th minute to get the third spot. 

So, Mat Sadler’s side were going to have to put that disappointment behind them for their play-off campaign. 

The Walsall boss made one change to the team that won 1-0 at Crewe last time out. Jamille Matt came back into the starting XI for Levi Amantchi, who had to make do with a place on the bench. There was no place in the matchday squad for Danny Johnson - he has netted five times in his 24 appearances this season. 

They had Tommy Simkin in goal, a back three of Allen, David Okagbue and Harry Williams.

Nathan Asiimwe and Liam Gordon played at wing-back with Chang and Ryan Stirk in midfield. 

Matt led the line, with George Hall and Jamie Jellis playing just off the big striker. 

The Spireites were unchanged for the clash and in good form, having lost just one of their last 13 matches. Walsall, on the other hand, had won just one of their last 14. 

The SMH Group Stadium was bathed in sunshine on a warm afternoon in Derbyshire, and Walsall could have led inside four seconds. 

Straight from the kick-off, the ball was launched forward, and Hall forced Ryan Boot into a smart save at his near post.

It was a frantic opening 10 minutes with the game not settling, but once it did, the hosts dominated possession, without causing the Saddlers too much alarm. 

Any threat they did create came down their left side from Ryan Colclough. The Spireites' best chance of the half came courtesy of the tricky winger. 

He found some space in the area, and his well-struck effort was sensationally tipped over by Simkin when it looked like it was destined for the back of the net. 

Walsall’s effort in the first minute was the closest they came until they did take the lead just before the half-hour mark. 

Allen played a clever ball in behind Liam Mandeville, and the full-back thought he could get there before Liam Gordon, but the Saddlers wing-back beat him to it and was fouled, giving Walsall a spot-kick, which Allen finished with aplomb. 

That rocked the hosts as the stadium went completely quiet, and soon Walsall found themselves in dreamland when Chang made it 2-0. 

Liam Gordon was instrumental again as he skinned the Chesterfield full-back and crossed, which was only half cleared, and Chang thumped it into the net from distance after running onto it.

Second half

The hosts almost halved the deficit after the break when Tom Naylor’s header was expertly saved by Simkin. The keeper showed expert reflexes to parry the powerful header behind for a corner. 

Liam Gordon was the star of the show in the first half going forward for Walsall, and he cleared Lewis Gordon’s volley away from point-blank range in the second. 

The hosts were still careless in possession after the break - they made too many unforced errors. 

Walsall did not offer anything going forward in the second period, and Sadler went to his bench to bring on defensive reinforcements as they began to look leggy. 

Amantchi, Charlie Lakin and Brandon Comley were all on the pitch as the clash headed into the final 15 minutes. 

Sadler would have been so pleased by the job his side did to manage the game, as it headed into stoppage time, there were very few alarms. 

Substitute Bim Pepple should have done better with a header as the game came to a close, but the Saddlers held on for a valuable win. 

The sides will do battle again on Friday, when the second leg is at Bescot.

Teams

Chesterfield:Boot, Mandeville, Palmer, McFadzean, Gordon (Sparkes 87), Fleck (Jacobs 86), Metcalfe, Naylor (Pepple 78), Olakigbe (Dobra 66), Colclough (Duffy 78), Grigg.

Subs: Thompson, Grimes. 

Walsall: Simkin, Gordon, Matt (Amantchi 75), Chang (Comley 63), Asiimwe, Hall (J Gordon 81), Allen, Jellis (Adomah 81), Williams, Stirk (Lakin 75), Okagbue.

Subs: Hornby, Daniels.