Express & Star

Crewe Alexandra 1 Walsall 0 - Report and pictures

A controversial goal from Eddie Nolan saw Walsall slip to a 1-0 loss at Crewe.

Published

The midfielder fired in from an offside position after Perry Ng’s shot took a deflection.

Walsall’s players were adamant Nolan was offside, but referee Alan Young seemed to imply the ball came off a Saddlers player and let it stand.

But speaking post-match, manager Darrell Clarke said Nolan was offside both in the first and second phase and the goal should have been ruled out.

That moment aside, the game otherwise proved an even and keenly contested clash.

It was Walsall who controlled the first half and they should have opened the scoring in the third minute when Caolan Lavery fired wide just yards from goal.

Clarke’s men then failed to take advantage of seven corners and eight dangerous crosses into the box.

After Nolan’s goal, they needed two excellent saves from Liam Roberts to keep them in the game as they piled forward.

Olly Lancasire then picked up a second yellow card - and subsequently a red - for a foul on Elijah Adebayo. But there wasn’t enough time for Walsall to make their numerical advantage count.

REPORT

Clarke opted to stick with a 3-5-2 system when naming his starting line-up but did spring some surprises with his team selection.

With Danny Guthrie still unavailable through injury, Jack Kirsey came in for his debut in central midfield.

There were also first league starts for defender Zac Jules and forward Caolan Lavery with Mat Sadler and Elijah Adebayo the men to make way.

Crewe lined up in a 4-3-3 formation with Chris Porter the central striker and Charlie Kirk and Daniel Powell either side.

It was the Saddlers who started the game on the front foot and they should have opened the scoring in just the third minute.

After bursting into the box, Cameron Pring cut the ball back to Lavery who was centrally placed 12-yards from goal.

But the striker then side-footed wide when he really should have hit the target.

Walsall had proved to be the brighter of the two teams in the opening 20 minutes.

Gradually, though, Crewe began to show their attacking threat with Dan Scarr making two important blocks in as many minutes.

First, the defender brilliantly slid in to deny Powell after the forward shot at goal from six-yards having been slipped in by Tom Lowery.

Scarr then made another good block to keep out a Porter strike from the edge of the box.

Walsall responded and almost too the lead shortly before the break thanks to another surging run from Pring.

The Bristol City loanee sent in a dangerous low cross which Eddie Nolan stuck out a boot to meet.

But, luckily for the defender, the ball then sailed over the crossbar instead of into his own net.

It meant Walsall had to make-do with coming off at the break all-square despite having won seven corners and sent eight crosses into the box - with the overall team performance good but a little more needed in the final third.

Crewe almost opened the scoring shortly after the re-start with Harry Pickering firing towards the top corner after collecting Kirk’s cut-back.

Liam Roberts, though, proved equal to the effort with the keeper pulling off an excellent stop to tip the ball over the bar.

Walsall responded with Gordon nipping past his man and to the byline after collecting a good ball by Kiersey.

But yet again, the cross didn’t find a man with Crewe able to clear the danger.

Clarke responded by making a double change with Wes McDonald and James Hardy replacing Kiersey and Norman.

But just moments later the hosts took the lead in controversial circumstances.

Perry Ng hit a thunderbolt from 25-yards which took a huge ricochet before falling for Nolan who stabbed home from an offside position.

Walsall felt the goal would be ruled out but the referee seemed to suggest the ball came off a Saddlers player and allowed the goal to stand.

Clarke’s men had shifted into a 4-4-2 formation with Hardy and McDonald wide.

But Crewe should have won it with five minutes left to play when some wonderful football ended with the ball falling for Porter just yards out.

The striker looked destined to score. But he was denied by an outstanding stop from Liam Roberts who somehow kept the ball out from point-blank range.

Walsall responded with a heavy spell of pressure ending when Hardy saw a goal-bound shot blocked by Nolan.

There was then chaos in the final few minutes as the Saddlers threw men forward only to leave big holes at the back.

And Crewe should have put the game to bed when Lowrey jinked into the box only to be denied by another brilliant save from Roberts.

Then as Walsall looked to break, Olly Lancashire was sent off after picking up a second yellow for a foul on Elijah Adebayo.

Clarke’s men continued to press for an equaliser from that point but they didn’t create a chance of note - with Saddlers tasting defeat in League Two for the first time this season.

TEAMS

Crewe: Jaaskelainen, Ng, Pickering, Wintle, Lancashire, Nolan, Powell (Dale 71), Porter, Kirk Hunt (90), Green, Lowery.

Subs not used: Richards, Jones, Ainley, Finney, Reilly.

Walsall: Roberts, Clarke, Scarr, Jules, Norman (McDonald 58), Pring, Sinclair, Kinsella, Kiersey (Hardy 58), Lavery, Gordon (Adebayo 69).

Subs not used: Rose, Sadler, Facey, Liddle.