Grimsby 2-2 Walsall: 10-man Saddlers salvage a point in ding-dong affair

Priestley Farquharson headed Walsall into the lead after 32 minutes, but Myles Roberts was sent off for a late challenge on former Saddlers striker Andy Cook before half-time. 

The pendulum swung in favour of the hosts following the red card and Cook capitalised on Sam Hornby's misjudgment to head home Reece Staunton's cross.

Cook bagged his brace to poke Grimsby into the lead on 68 minutes, but Pressley quickly got Walsall back on level terms, as Courtney Clarke registered his second assist of the evening.

Their draw at Blundell Park ended a spell of back-to-back defeats, but extended their winless run to six games in League Two.

Co-chairman Ben Boycott had jetted over to watch from the stands, as Walsall headed to Cleethorpes off the back of a five-match winless run in League Two. 

They had dropped out of the play-off places over the weekend and Walsall were hit by the absence of top scorer Daniel Kanu who missed out due to illness. 

Sadler made five changes in total from the team which started their 3-1 home defeat against Barnet 11 days ago. 

Kacper Lopata made his full debut after recovering from a thigh injury and Jid Okeke started for the first time since re-joining on loan from Stockport County on transfer deadline day. 

Brandon Comley formed a double pivot alongside Alex Pattison, as Sadler played with a box midfield, which included Jamie Jellis and Charlie Lakin playing more advanced. 

The pitch passed an inspection earlier in the day but the windy conditions made for a rather scrappy affair. 

Aden Flint was unable to connect with an early free-kick from Lakin, who took 26 minutes to register the first shot on target when his tame volley was comfortably gathered by Jackson Smith. 

The breakthrough arrived just past the half-hour mark when Farquharson emerged through a sea of bodies to head in off the crossbar. 

Clarke floated a menacing corner towards the back post and Farquharson met it with conviction to score his third goal of the season. 

Pressley struck a snapshot straight at ex-Saddlers goalkeeper Smith just after the restart, as Walsall were producing their best display in weeks. 

Their good work was undone on the cusp of half-time when Roberts misjudged the flight of the ball and wiped out Cook just outside the box. 

Sam Hornby was called upon in the wake of his dismissal, as Lakin had to be sacrificed, and made an immediate save to palm away a bobbling shot from Darragh Burns.

A tough second half beckoned and their task was made much harder when Cook equalised against his former club just five minutes after the break. 

Staunton floated a speculative cross into the box, which Hornby misjudged, as Cook beat him to the ball to head home.

Cook doubled his tally midway into the second half when he got the deftest of touches to a low drive from Walker to divert past Hornby. 

But Walsall continued to show fight and were level four minutes later when Pressley ended his goal drought to power his header beyond Smith. 

Clarke provided his second assist of the evening from another corner, as Pressley scored his first goal since bagging a brace against Bristol Rovers on October 4.

Hornby made amends for his error of judgment for the Mariners' equaliser when he plunged to his left to expertly keep out a low shot from substitute Charles Vernam.

Next, Walsall welcome League Two high-fliers MK Dons to Bescot under the lights on Monday evening.

Teams 

Walsall (3-4-2-1): Roberts (Hornby 45 +1); Farquharson, Flint, Lopata (Burke 74); Clarke, Comley, Lakin, Okeke (Harper 75); Pattison, Jellis; Pressley.

Subs: Chang, Richards, Adomah, Loupalo-Bi.

Grimsby (4-1-4-1): Smith; Rodgers, Kacurri, McJannet, Staunton; Turi (McEachran 60); Burns (Kabia 80), Green, Walker (Khouri 90), Sellars-Fleming (Vernam 60); Cook.

Not used: Auton, Amaluzor, Warren.

Other details 

Referee: Thomas Parson

Attendance: 5,138 (187)