Walsall 1 Mansfield 1 - Report

Darrell Clarke’s Saddlers took a first-half lead when deadline day arrival Max Melbourne fired in with a clever flick.

Nigel Clough's Mansfield arrived in great form having won their previous five League Two matches.

And they pulled level shortly past the half-hour mark when substitute Ollie Clarke - who played under namesake Darrell for Bristol Rovers - fired in from close range.

Both teams continued to play with a real intensity for the remainder of the first-half.

The second-half, however, was a lot more scrappy with both teams only creating one real opportunity as light snow began to dust the Banks's.

Caolan Lavery should have scored for the Saddlers when he fired wide just yards from goal after meeting a dangerous free-kick.

At the other end, Jamie Reid saw a strike saved by the legs of Liam Roberts.

Overall, though, a draw was a fair result with both teams showing plenty of endevour without doing enough to win it.

The result means Walsall are now unbeaten in four matches with Darrell Clarke’s side climbing to 11th in League Two.

Report

Darrell Clarke opted for an attacking 4-4-2 formation when naming his starting line-up with Josh Gordon partnering Caolan Lavery up front.

Wes McDonald started on the left wing with Tyreik Wright on the right while Liam Kinsella joined Alfie Bates in central midfield.

Melbourne, who arrived on loan from Lincoln on transfer deadline day, made his Saddlers debut at left-back.

Mansfield lined up in a 4-1-3-2 formation. George Maris was the holding midfielder with Jamie Reid partnering Jordan Bowery in attack.

Both teams had seen their recent fixtures rocked by postponements with Walsall’s last two matches having been called-off while Mansfield’s last five had gone by the wayside.

And with temperatures below zero, the kick-off for this clash was brought forward by 15 minutes in a bid to beat the weather and stop the pitch from freezing.

Despite their lack of games, both teams started the clash brightly.

It was Mansfield who created the game’s first chance just five minutes in when the ball was worked to Reid on the edge of the box who sent a curling strike inches wide.

But the Saddlers were also doing everything they could to play on the front foot with Lavery and Gordon pressing the Stags back four relentlessly.

And they took the lead midway through the half when Wright whipped in a deep free-kick which Melbourne cleverly flicked home for a debut goal.

While clear-cut chances were proving few and far between, both teams continued to play with real intensity and endeavour as the clock ticked towards the half-hour mark.

But in the 31st minute, Mansfield managed to pull themselves level after pouncing on a loose pass from Bates.

That allowed the ball to be worked to Reid who played a neat one-two with Bowery before delivering a wonderfully inviting cross.

And that was slammed home by Clarke who had come on as a 12th-minute substitute after George Lapslie strained his hamstring.

From that point on the half continued to ebb and flow.

But it was Mansfield who almost grabbed the lead in stoppage time with Bowery hitting a low drive from just inside the box that Liam Roberts did well to parry away.

It was Walsall who created the first chance of the second half with Wright sending in another excellent free-kick after McDonald had been fouled out on the left.

And that delivery - which was sent right into the danger area - was met by Lavery who steered the ball wide when he really should have scored.

The game continued to be a real battle as the clock ticked past the hour mark with light snow starting to dust the Banks’s Stadium.

Darrell Clarke was forced into a change in the 63rd minute when the lively Wright picked up a minor knock that saw him replaced by Jack Nolan.

Now, though, what had been an entertaining game had become very scrappy with both teams struggling to find any rhythm as the pitch continued to get harder.

In a bid to give his team fresh impetus, Darrell Clarke made a double change in the Frank Vincent and Derick Osei Yew replacing Bates and Lavery.

It was Mansfield, though, who created the games next chance with Reid out-muscling Melbourne to latch onto a long ball into the box.

The striker did just enough to get a shot away but Roberts managed to block the effort with his feet.

The loose ball then fell for Harry Charlsey but from 10-yards he fired high and wide when he should have done better.

Both teams huffed and puffed from that point on without creating any clear-cut chances.

And bizarrely, the second the clock hit the 90-minute mark referee Alan Young blew for full-time with the official deciding to not bother with stoppage time dispute both teams making second-half subs and there being one or two brakes in play.

That meant Lavery’s early chance and Mansfield’s late one with Reid and Charlsey where the only chances created in a second-half which, overall, saw both teams cancel each other out.

Teams

Walsall: Roberts, Melbourne, Clarke, Scarr, White, McDonald, Kinsella, Bates (Vincent 77), Wright (Nolan 63), Gordon, Lavery (Osei Yaw 77).

Subs not used: Rose, Cockerill-Mollett, Norman, Osadebe.

Mansfield: Stone, Gordon, Rawson, Sweeney, McLaughlin, Maris, Lapslie (Clarke 12), Quinn (Sarkic 72), Charsley, Reid, Bowery.

Subs not used: Stech, Benning, Perch, Sinclair, Law.