Express & Star

Cheltenham 2 Walsall 0 - Report

Walsall's final game of their pre-season schedule saw them lose 2-0 at last season's League Two winners Cheltenham Town.

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Matt Taylor's men put in a sharp first-half display at Whaddon Road as Ash Taylor had a header ruled out for offside while Kieran Phillips rattled the woodwork with another.

The League One Robins, though, made their opportunities count after the break as Matty Blair opened the scoring before substitute Charlie Raglan doubled the advantage from close range.

Walsall lost steam from thereon but have positives – from the first 45 minutes especially – to take into next weekend's season-opener at Tranmere.

They made five changes from the 5-0 win at Kidderminster last weekend as Taylor, Hayden White, Stephen Ward, Liam Kinsella and Brendan Kiernan all came into the side.

No trialists were present for the Saddlers while Rory Holden – working his way back to fitness – did some jogging on the pitch before the game.

Alfie Bates, who was not in the squad either, also did some drills with a coach prior to kick-off.

Walsall began with good intensity as Manny Monthe showed off his speed and strength.

Alfie May tried to take on the centre back, who easily brushed the forward off before finding Conor Wilkinson with a clever through-ball. Unfortunately, his shot was too tame in the end.

The Robins looked fairly dangerous in the air – Will Boyle seeing a far-post header deflect off Taylor and travel wide.

But the Saddlers were the busier of the two teams going forward, and better on the whole, in the first half.

A swift counter-attack saw Ward win the ball in his own area and set Phillips away down the right flank.

His cut-back found Emmanuel Osadebe, whose outside-the-foot curler from the edge of the box sailed narrowly off target.

Osadebe was operating with confidence in the No.10 role, regularly finding pockets of space between the lines.

Phillips almost embarrassed Cheltenham keeper Owen Evans, too, as his attempted clearance cannoned off the forward and just wide.

The Saddlers had the ball in the net as the interval approached, with Osadebe's cross nodded in by Taylor but ruled out as the assistant referee raised his flag.

Phillips also hit the bar with another header, from a deft Wilkinson delivery, before the half drew to a close.

Walsall, having been solid and well-organised, made one change for the start of the second period as Jack Rose replaced Carl Rushworth between the sticks. And the substitute – nothing he could do about it – was beaten in a matter of minutes.

Blair got the better of Kiernan and saw his strike find the far corner via a deflection.

The Saddlers, having switched off momentarily, continued to push after falling behind – skipper Joss Labadie getting them pressing high up the pitch. He headed over from an Osadebe corner just after the hour mark.

However, the more confident Robins continued to threaten from crosses into the box and grabbed a second as Raglan glanced one in.

Walsall's attacking threat had fizzled out and in an attempt to rejuvenate things, Jack Earing got his first minutes in a Saddlers shirt as he took the place of Kiernan.

Wilkinson forced Evans to tip a looping header over while Osadebe's half-volley drew a superb save.

The visitors, though, having also brought on Joe Willis towards the end, were unable to find a reply as their summer ended in defeat.

Both encouraging signs and elements to work on ahead of the trip to Tranmere.

Teams

Walsall (4-2-3-1): Rushworth (Rose, 46); White, Monthe, Taylor, Ward; Labadie (c), Kinsella; Phillips (Willis, 85), Osadebe, Kiernan (Earing, 68); Wilkinson

Subs not used: Mills, Coogan, Leak, Menayese, Perry

Cheltenham (3-5-2): Evans; Long, Tozer (Raglan, 46), Boyle (c); Blair (Freestone, 77), Thomas (Bonds, 77), Sercombe, Chapman, Hussey; May, Williams (Lloyd, 77)

Subs not used: Flinders (gk), Horton, Ebanks, Barkers

Goals: Blair (51), Raglan (67)

Referee: Kevin Johnson (Somerset)