Walsall 2 Cheltenham 1 - Report

The Saddlers lost Josh Gordon, Oisin McEntee and Liam Gordon to injuries inside the first 47 minutes but broke the deadlock when Nathan Lowe scored his first league goal for the club.

Jamille Matt doubled Walsall's advantage midway into the second half before Ryan Stirk and Lowe both hit the woodwork.

Former Walsall striker George Miller pulled one back for Cheltenham but Mat Sadler's men held on to register their third league win in four matches.

Sadler made one enforced change from last Saturday's defeat at Tranmere Rovers, as David Okagbue slotted into the centre of the back-three in the absence of Priestley Farquharson, who picked up a thigh injury at Prenton Park.

Lowe was named on the bench despite his brace against Huddersfield Town in midweek and deadline day arrival George Hall was also named among the subs. 36-year-old Albert Adomah was a surprise absentee from the squad.

Former Walsall boss Michael Flynn made two changes for opponents Cheltenham with Ethon Archer and Liam Dulson replacing Levi Laing and Matty Taylor. Ex-Saddlers goalkeeper Owen Evans started between the sticks while Liam Kinsella and Miller started on the bench on their Bescot return.

Walsall made a bright start with Liam Gordon stretching the Cheltenham defence with a series of touchline hugging runs down the left.

The Guyana international was released into space by a stunning cross-field switch by McEntee and was quickly supported by Taylor Allen. His inviting delivery to the back post was met by Jamille Matt on the stretch but the Walsall skipper was unable to guide his finish on target.

Cheltenham launched a rare counter-attack after soaking up Walsall's early pressure but Arkell Jude-Boyd failed to send his free header towards goal. The Saddlers' early momentum was severely affected by a double injury blow as Josh Gordon and McEntee were both forced off in quick succession.

That meant that Lowe was called upon after just 15 minutes before Harry Williams was introduced for his first league appearance of the calendar year. Clear cut chances were at a premium but Lakin did come close with a low volley from the edge of the box midway into the first period.

Walsall came closest eight minutes before the break when Ryan Haynes' stooping header towards his own goal was turned behind by Evans at his near post. The contest rarely threatened to burst into the life during the first period but it took Walsall just three minutes to deliver the breakthrough after the break.

Liam Gordon had been forced to succumb to his earlier injury almost immediately after the restart but Lowe softened the blow when he scored his third goal in two games on 48 minutes.

Allen picked out Barrett with a floating cross to the back post and his free header across the face of goal was pounced upon by Lowe who prodded home from inside the six-yard box.

Sadler introduced Jack Earing and matched Cheltenham by switching to a 4-4-2 formation. Jamie Jellis and Charlie Lakin tucked in as inverted wingers with Earing partnering Stirk in midfield and Allen moved to left wing-back.

It was very much one-way traffic from that point onwards and Walsall almost had a quickfire second when Ryan Bowman came within a whisker of heading into his own net.

Tommy Simkin's spillage inside his own six-yard box almost presented Cheltenham with a gift but Walsall survived and immediately reasserted control. Walsall kept knocking on the door as Lowe came close with a confident shot from distance and Earing fired wide.

The second goal eventually arrived in the 66th minute when Matt met Barrett's low cross with an inventive flick at the near post after the Walsall wing-back got the better of Liam Dulson down the right with a determined run.

Simkin had to be on his toes to deny substitute Jordan Thomas from close-range after a Cheltenham flick-on landed invitingly for him just yards from goal.

Walsall hit the woodwork twice in the final 15 minutes when Stirk crashed a sweetly struck half-volley onto the frame of the goal before Lowe was denied by the post from close-range shortly after.

Cheltenham made it a tense finale when Thomas crept down the right and set-up fellow substitute Miller with the simplest of finishes at the back post, as he halved the deficit five minutes from time.

The Saddlers will next be in action on Tuesday night when they start their EFL Trophy campaign at Birmingham City before travelling to Buckinghamshire to face MK Dons next Saturday.

Teams

Walsall XI (3-1-4-2): Simkin; McEntee (Williams 26), Okagbue, Allen; Stirk; Barrett, Jellis, Lakin, L Gordon (Earing 47); Matt, J Gordon (Lowe 18).

Not used: Hornby, Maher, Hall, Cleary.

Cheltenham XI (3-1-4-2): Evans; Bakare (Miller 55), Stubbs, Bennett; Young; Jude-Boyd, Archer (Thomas 55), Colwill, Haynes (Willcox 73); Bowman (Pett 73), Dulson.

Not used: Day, Laing, Kinsella.

Referee: Paul Marsden

Attendance: 5,760 (652)

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