Walsall 2 Shrewsbury 1 - Report and pictures

Walsall kept dreams off automatic promotion alive and secured a place in the play-offs with a 2-1 victory over West Midlands rivals Shrewsbury Town.

[gallery]

First half goals from Kieron Morris and Rico Henry gave Jon Whitney's side a commanding lead following an opening 45 minutes they dominated at the Banks's Stadium.

But Shrewsbury were much improved after the interval with former Walsall defender Mat Sadler firing his back into the game.

Micky Mellon's side then went in search of an equaliser but the Saddlers stood tall defensively to ensure they moved back up to third in League One – three points behind Burton Albion with two to play.

Boss Whitney showed his intent to attack by naming a bold starting XI that saw four changes from the side that fell to defeat at Bradford.

Top scorer Tom Bradshaw as well as winger's Milan Lalkovic and Morris were restored, as the Saddlers lined up in a 4-1-4-1 formation that saw Romaine Sawyers and Morris in central midfield.

Liam Kinsella, Andy Taylor, Sam Mantom and Jordy Hiwula were the men to drop out, with Jason Demetriou also back following a groin injury.

Shrewsbury manager Micky Mellon kept faith with the same team that ran out 3-2 winners at Gillingham.

Walsall entered the game with Whitney having demanded a response following the 4-0 drubbing at Bradford on Saturday.

Walsall: Etheridge, Demetriou, O'Connor, Downing, Henry, Chambers, Sawyers, Forde, Lalkovic (Mantom 75), Morris (Hiwula 88), Bradshaw (Cook 78).

Subs not used: MacGillivray, Taylor, Preston, Kinsella.

Shrewsbury: Leutwiler; Hendry (Black 16), Whitbread, Knight-Percival, Grimmer, Ogogo, Wesolowski (Cole 52), Sadler, Kaika, Akpa Akpro (Whalley 52), Mangan

Subs not used: Vassell, Wellens, Smith, Halstead.[/breakout]

Shrewsbury, meanwhile, were looking for a win that would secure their status in League One for another year.

On what was a soggy, wet pitch – Walsall flew out the blocks and created two chances inside the opening five minutes.

First Bradshaw escaped the attentions of Zak Whitbread to flick Lalkovic's cross just past the post.

Morris then hit a low drive from 18-yards which Jason Leutwiler spilled, but Nat Knight-Percival was alert to the danger and cleared.

But the strike was just a sign of things to come, with Walsall rewarded for their bright start when they took the lead through Morris in the 11th minute.

The youngster again collected the ball 18-yards from goal but, this time, arrowed a strike into the bottom corner and beyond the outstretched arms of a diving Leutwiler.

With the Saddlers running riot, Mellon made what seemed a tactical substitution in the 16th minute with Ian Black replacing Jack Hendry as Salop switched from 3-4-1-2 to 4-3-1-2.

[related_posts title="More on Walsall"]

While Walsall continued to pop the ball around nicely, the change did take some of the sting out the game the visitors slowly growing in stature.

But it was Whitney's men who continued to carry the greater attacking threat and they came close to doubling their advantage in the 37th minute.

Lalkovic galloped down the left and delivered a teasing cross, which a sliding Whitbread turned towards his own goal.

Fortunately for the defender, the ball headed straight towards Leutwiler with the Swiss goalkeeper able to comfortably claim.

But, just two minutes before the break, Walsall did extend their lead. Henry picked up the ball 30-yards out and drove into the box, where he seemed to have been tripped by a Shrewsbury defender.

But the 18-year-old stayed on his feet and fired a strike at goal, which took two deflections before bobbling past Leutwiler and into the Salop goal.

The second-half began with Shrewsbury enjoying a sustained spell of pressure, as they looked to find a way back into the game.

But Mellon still made a double change in the 50th minute and injected some pace by introducing Shaun Whalley and Larnell Cole for Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro and James Wesolowski.

Now Salop where enjoying the lion's share of possession, but with Walsall looking a threat on the break.

But the visitors got themselves back in the game right on the hour mark, when Andy Mangan crossed to the back post.

[comments_cta header="What do you think?" text="What effect does this result have on Walsall?" button="Log in and start commenting"]

Stood waiting was former Walsall defender Sadler, who powered a header into the roof of the net.

Whitney's men responded with Lalkovic dancing into the box and then hitting a low strike which Leutwiler claimed.

Suddenly the game had become very open, with Shrewsbury a whisker away from pulling level moments later.

Sullay Kaikai's strike cannoned off James O'Connor straight to Mangan, with the forward firing at goal from 12-yards only to see his effort expertly saved by goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.

Town came close again in the 70th minute, when Black's 25-yard effort deflected off the boot of Morris and onto the Saddlers crossbar.

With his side coming under increasing pressure, Whitney switched Lalkovic for Mantom with 15 minutes left to play. Jordan Cook then replaced Bradshaw.

But it was Shrewsbury who continued to pile forward, with the Banks's Stadium nervy and tense as the Saddlers held on.

Whitney's men showed they still carried a threat as the clock ticked towards the 90, with Anthony Forde's dangerous cross well cleared by Whalley with Henry waiting.

In four minutes of stoppage, Whitney's men expertly kept the ball in the corner to stifle their opponents, with a last gasp corner the only chance Shrewsbury created to find a late equaliser.