Walsall 1-0 Rochdale - Report

It was a case of the irresistible force against the immovable object with a Saddlers side boasting three consecutive home wins against an improving Rochdale who had taken seven points from their previous three away trips.

As a result, there was very little between the two sides, but it was Hayden White’s first goal for Walsall, in his 96th appearance, which ultimately proved the difference.

White was perfectly placed to fire home from close range as the ball broke to him inside a crowded Rochdale penalty area.

There were some nervy moments in both goalmouths, particularly as full time approached, but the Saddlers stood firm to register a vital three points, also rounding off an excellent week following up a point at Sutton with ten men with wins over Harrogate and Rochdale.

Report

Walsall Head Coach Michael Flynn unsurprisingly named an unchanged side from the one which had won its previous three home games in League Two, most recently in defeating Harrogate in midweek.

Rochdale’s line-up including a return to the Bescot for keeper Richard O’Donnell, who made 105 appearances for the Saddlers between 2013 and 2015, and Devante Rodney, who spent the second half of last season with Walsall.

Kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes due to traffic issues on the M6 and, with this being Walsall’s last home game before Remembrance Sunday, an immaculately observed minute’s silence was held before the game.

Walsall were on the attack from the first whistle with Liam Gordon getting on the end of Liam Bennett’s deep cross. Gordon sent the ball into the danger area and there was an optimistic penalty shout waved away by referee Tom Nield.

Rochdale responded with former Saddler Rodney drifting in from the right but not making any sort of decent connection with his attempted shot.

Tom Knowles and Liam Kinsella then delivered a free kick routine which finished with Kinsella’s driven cross from the angle blocked by a Rochdale defender.

A well-worked Saddlers corner then ended with Isaac Hutchinson’s low effort being blocked as Walsall looked to mix up their set pieces.

In the 17th minute came the closest to a goal so far. The ball was drilled into the Walsall box offering Rochdale’s Tyrese Sinclair a great chance but White was on hand to divert over the bar. White was then unhappy with Sinclair as the two got to their feet but while the referee was talking to them, the fans alerted him to some more goings-on inside the six-yard box. It was difficult to see what had taken place but there were bookings for Walsall keeper Owen Evans and Rodney as a result.

Despite that quickfire flashpoint the game settled back into something of a quiet rhythm, broken only by Bennett advancing forward but not connecting cleanly with his attempted shot.

But the stadium certainly came to life in the 35th minute, as, out of nothing, Walsall took the lead.

Manny Monthe flicked on Tom Knowles’ long throw, and after Danny Johnson failed to connect with an attempted overhead kick, the ball broke for White to slam home from close range.

It was White’s first goal for Walsall, in his 96th appearance, a statistic not lost on his delighted boss Flynn who held his arms outstretched, with beaming smile, on the touchline.

The goal had come during a particularly scrappy passage of play but that certainly wouldn’t have bothered Walsall, and it stung Rochdale into trying to mount a response, Liam Kelly’s shot deflected to make it a comfortable save for Evans in the Saddlers’ goal.

Rochdale were now far more in the game and continued to press in search of an equaliser, prompting the need for some no-nonsense defending from the Walsall back-line.

But that was enough to take the Saddlers into the interval in front, O’Donnell then receiving a warm ovation from the home fans as the teams re-emerged for the second half.

It was Rochdale who were first on the attack after the break, Sinclair’s shot narrowly over the bar after the ball broke to him just inside the penalty area.

Five minutes in the Saddlers produced a fine move which nearly resulted in their second goal. Gordon did superbly to control an excellent crossfield pass from Monthe, playing the ball inside for Knowles to hit a powerful first-time effort which flashed agonisingly wide.

Both sides were now looking to threaten and Ian Henderson went past Donervon Daniels down the Rochdale right before fizzing a cross in which fortunately eluded any of his arriving team-mates. As the visitors kept up the pressure Rodney’s header from a left wing cross was comfortably gathered by Evans.

At the other end Knowles teed up Hutchinson who moved forward with intent but saw the sting taken out of his shot which was deflected for a corner.

That particular set piece routine wasn’t the most successful but then a perfectly-weighted pass from Gordon sent Jacob Maddox away for a great run down the left and his clever pullback was met by Knowles whose shot was blocked.

Walsall had now got their tails up and Hutchinson played in Gordon whose low cross was cleared.

Rochdale however held out, and as fortunes then continued to switch from end to end Walsall struggled to get the ball away during a passage of play which saw Kelly, facing a crowded penalty area in front of him, shooting wide of the target.

Walsall were still also pressing in search of a decisive second goal and a corner caused some difficulties in the Rochdale defence before they were able to scramble the ball away.

Knowles was booked for time wasting before sending another low throw into the Rochdale area where Williams was the second Saddlers striker of the afternoon to fail to connect properly with an overhead kick.

It was all getting nervy at both ends now and Evans was forced into a hurried clearance with his feet to clear Cameron John’s low cross.

Monthe was then perfectly placed to clear another cross as the visitors piled forward in search of a leveller, James Ball then prodding wide with the goal at his mercy.

However referee Nield, whose decisions had become more bizarre during the second half, awarded Rochdale a corner after which his assistant flagged immediately to rule the flag kick had gone out of play.

The board going up to signal five minutes of added time did little to calm the home supporters’ nerves, but Evans showed immaculate handling to collect a driven cross as the finish line loomed into view.

And the blowing of the final whistle finally brought an outpouring of joy and relief as the Saddlers continued their upward momentum with a crucial three points.

Teams

Walsall (3-4-1-2): Evans; White, Daniels, Monthe; Bennett, Kinsella, Maddox (Comley 75), Gordon (Allen 86); Hutchinson; Johnson (Williams 70), Knowles (James-Taylor 86).

Subs not used: Cashman, Maher, Clarke.

Goal: White (35)

Rochdale (4-2-1-3): O’Donnell, Keohane, Ebanks-Landell, Graham, John; Diagouraga (Brierley 67), L. Kelly; Rodney, Ball, Sinclair (Odoh 67); Henderson.

Subs not used: B. Kelly, Seriki, Nelson, Tulloch, Malley.

Attendance: 5,050 (347 Rochdale fans)

Referee: Tom Nield