Swindon 2 Walsall 1 - Report and pictures

Top goalscorer Eoin Doyle put the hosts ahead in the fifth minute with a tap in when he was left unmarked at the back post.

Two minutes into the second half, Diallang Jaiyesimi put the hosts 2-0 ahead after a mix-up in the Walsall defence.

Rory Gaffney’s headed goal, his first effort for the club, proved a consolation for the Saddlers as they lost six on the bounce.

Darrell Clarke stuck with the 5-3-2 formation for the second game running, making six changes from the starting XI that lost to Mansfield.

Wes McDonald, Kory Roberts, Callum Cockerill-Mollett and Stuart Sinclair were left out of the squad altogether, while Cameron Norman, Alfie Bates and Josh Gordon dropped to the bench.

Shay Facey was given his first league start, joined by Cameron Pring and Zak Jules who returned from injury.

Danny Guthrie was also given a start, while Caolan Lavery made the bench after nursing a hamstring injury.

Striker Elijah Adebayo started the game too, facing his former club where he spent half of last season on loan.

Mat Sadler returned to the starting XI also, completing a one-game suspension.

Richie Wellens’ Swindon started in a 4-4-2 formation, making one change from their 4-0 win at Crawley - Lloyd Isgrove was left out of the squad, with Keshi Anderson taking his place in the team.

In wet, windy and cold conditions it didn’t take long for in-form Swindon to take the lead.

Anderson was played through down the left wing and his low cross was into striker Doyle, who tapped home, unmarked at the back post.

It was Doyle’s 14th goal of the season, coming in the fifth minute.

The Saddlers couldn’t get into gear in the opening stages and Swindon looked hungry for goals.

Within 10 minutes of the opening goal they almost had another - Rory Holden was muscled off the ball in midfield and the home side broke in numbers.

A defensive block at the death prevented a dangerous low cross coming in.

But Walsall almost got level against the run of play.

Facey raced down the right flank and his cross into the box evaded all the defenders, giving Adebayo a free shot on the edge of the box, which was well saved.

Two injuries, one for both sides, slowed the game down after 20 minutes.

Firstly, Anderson, who assisted Swindon’s goal, pulled his hamstring and was replaced by Jordan Lyden.

Before, Guthrie, who himself had only recently returned from injury, received a knock and was replaced by Alfie Bates.

The game then settled down, allowing Walsall to grow into it.

Just after 30 minutes, Gaffney missed a golden opportunity to pull Walsall level.

Pring whipped in an excellent cross which found the striker. Despite being unmarked, he scuffed his volleyed shot and the chance was gone.

On the stroke of half time, Michael Doughty was allowed to run past the midfield and at the defence.

His cross, from the left side, just evaded Doyle at the back post who was again left unmarked.

The half finished with few clear-cut chances and with the home side with a 1-0 lead.

Two minutes into the restart, Walsall started in the same way they did in the first half, conceding an early goal.

Jules under-hits his back pass, which puts Jaiyesimi through down the right. The winger cuts in and shoots on his left foot, and it takes a huge deflection off Scarr to wrongfoot Rose in goal and trickle into the net.

After a calamitous start to the second half, Walsall were given a lifeline less than 10 minutes later.

Holden lifted in a free-kick from the right, and Gaffney, who was unmarked in the box, headed the ball past Steven Benda.

And a minute later Walsall almost pulled level.

Another free-kick, this time from the right, was aimed towards Scarr and Jules who were free at the back post.

Scarr handballed the ball as he went for it, but had he left it Jules was in an excellent position to finish.

Just after the 70th minute mark, with Walsall chasing an equaliser, Darrell Clarke made a tactical change.

Lavery and James Hardy were introduced as Adebayo and Jules made way - meaning the formation changed to 4-4-2, with Hardy operating the left wing.

As Walsall chased the game, substitute Lyden almost found the back of the net, but his first time volley was well over the bar, as the clock ticked towards the 80th minute.

The Saddlers should have levelled the score at the death through Holden.

Facey did brilliantly to dribble to the byline and his cross is initially pushed away by Benda. It then falls to Holden, who is six yards out, but his shot is superbly saved over the bar by the goalkeeper.

That chance was almost the last kick of the game as the referee blew for the final whistle, condemning Walsall to six defeats in a row.

Walsall: Rose, Facey, Pring, Sadler, Scarr, Jules (Hardy 72), Guthrie (Bates 23), Kinsella, Holden, Gaffney, Adebayo (Lavery 72).

Subs not used: L.Roberts, Norman, Liddle, Gordon.

Swindon: Benda, Hunt, Baudry, Fryers, Donohue, Anderson (Lyden 21), Grant, Doughty, Jaiyesimi (Woolery 59), Yates, Doyle.

Subs not used: McCormick, Broadbent, Iandolo, Twine, Curran.