Forest Green 1 Walsall 1 - Report and pictures

The innocent (insert name here) stadium – so named while a competition is run for fans to decide on a more permanent new title – was besieged by strong winds and swirling rain which had hit much of the country, making it difficult to play any sort of flowing football.

It was a rare moment of quality which saw Lavery emphatically head home George Nurse’s pinpoint first half cross, but for large swathes of the game Walsall found themselves defending on the back foot.

They did that resolutely for much of the contest, Liam Roberts also chipping in with some fine saves, but he could do anything about Matt’s close range leveller just after the hour.

The Saddlers dug in for the remainder of the game, enjoying one or two openings on the break, but ultimately it was a point well earned.

Walsall boss Darrell Clarke opted to switch formation and go 3-5-2 for the first time this season.

It was a side containing nine changes to that in action in the EFL Trophy against Chelsea in midweek, although only four to that last in League Two action in the 2-2 draw at Harrogate.

That meant league debuts for wing backs Hayden White and Bristol City loanee George Nurse.

Forest Green named an unchanged starting line-up, also adopting a 3-5-2 formation.

It was the home side who produced the first half chance of the contest but Matt scuffed his attempted shot from the edge of the area.

And there was an even better opening on eight minutes when Aaron Collins got in behind the defence but his header to Nicky Cadden’s pass didn’t have enough strength to overly trouble Roberts.

Almost immediately afterwards Walsall were aggrieved when Josh Gordon appeared to be fouled but the referee waved play on and then awarded Rovers the free kick following Zak Jules’ challenge on Ebou Adams.

Fortunately Cadden was unable to get his free kick over the wall and it was deflected out for a corner which came to nothing.

Cadden was heavily involved in the early stages and was again ghosting in at the box to meet Carl Winchester’s cross with a downward header which skidded off the surface.

Roberts parried the ball up and was then fouled by Matt as he tried to gather.

If Rovers had perhaps shaded the openings in the early stages it was Walsall who broke the deadlock with a clinical move in the 14th minute.

Nurse delivered an exquisite cross from the left and Lavery found space to deliver a pinpoint header into the corner for his first goal of the season.

It was the perfect way for Lavery to end a nine-game goalless streak and get him off and running for the campaign.

Walsall were now looking a real threat down the left and some good interplay between Jules and Gordon teed up Nurse for another teasing cross which just fell behind Lavery inside the box.

And then there were rejected appeals for a penalty as Gordon appeared to be impeded in the box as he was trying to take up an attacking position.

There was then a similar appeal at the other end of the pitch as Rovers’ Adams tangled with Jules but once again the referee remained unmoved.

The hosts were trying to build up a head of steam to mount a response and on 27 minutes Collins tried his luck with a vicious strike from distance which Roberts did well to parry away.

Cadden then had another chance with a free kick just outside the box but this time his effort comfortably cleared the crossbar.

Another opportunity then went begging as Rovers seized on a Nurse mistake from which Collins then dragged his right foot shot not far wide.

It was all Forest Green now in terms of the chances and Matt turned inside Jules inside the area but couldn’t get enough on the shot and Roberts was able to make the save.

Matt couldn’t then get on the end of a right wing cross from Collins, and then Collins produced another decent shot but Roberts gathered ensuring Walsall went in ahead at the break.

The Saddlers made a change during the break with Nurse making way and Alfie Bates coming on, the team reverting to a 4-3-3 shape with Rory Holden and Gordon either side of Lavery up top.

The second half began as the first had ended, with the hosts on top, and they wasted a glorious opportunity to equalise on 50 minutes,

Adams was completely unmarked and in space around the penalty spot and met Collins’ lofted pass with a first time effort that flew past the post.

The onslaught continued and Collins was at the centre of it with another fierce rising drive that Roberts superbly tipped over the bar.

By now Rovers had made their first change with Scott Wagstaff replacing Jayden Richardson but Walsall boss Clarke had seen enough in terms of the pressure and opted to make his final two changes to try and switch the momentum.

Wes McDonald and Elijah Adebayo were sent on in place of Stuart Sinclair and Lavery.

But before those changes had even had time to bed in,, Rovers were level in the 62nd minute.

Collins was unsurprisingly involved, turning his man before finding Matt whose shot on the turn from close range gave Roberts no chance.

The elements were now in full flow with driving wind and rain swirling across the pitch as Walsall tried to get a foothold back in the game.

But it was still Rovers doing all the pressing and they were so close to going in front 15 minutes from time.

A corner was flicked on and Matt was just yards out with the goal at his mercy but he didn’t connect cleanly and that allowed Roberts to somehow smother the ball and keep him out.

Walsall were still trying to show themselves as an attacking force and Gordon was brought down for a free kick on the right but Holden’s set piece was easily cleared.

Bates then brought the ball forward and looked for Adebayo over the top with Rovers keeper McGee just about doing enough with a scuffed clearance as he charged out of his area.

But still the main threat was on the Saddlers goal with Roberts making a fine save to claw away yet another Collins piledriver.

As the game drifted into added time, Jordan Moore-Taylor had another glorious chance for Rovers but his header from a corner was directed wide.

The latest in a string of questionable decisions then drew an angry reaction from Walsall boss Clarke towards the assistant referee which earned him a yellow card from the referee.

And it still needed a vital last gasp intervention from James Clarke to prevent Matt getting in for a potential winner.

With almost five minutes of added time elapsed, Forest Green won a free kick 35 yards out but Collins fired it straight into the wall.

That left Walsall reflecting on a very hard-earned point from a battling performance extending their unbeaten league start to the season and making it eight unbeaten in the league in total across the two seasons.

Teams

Forest Green: McGee, Kitching, Moore-Taylor, Godwin-Malife, Richardson (Wagstaff 54), Cadden, Adams, Winchester, Sweeney, Matt, Collins.

Subs not used: Thomas, Bernard, Stokes, Stevens, McCoulsky, March.

Walsall: Roberts, Nurse (Bates 45), Clarke, Scarr, Jules, White, Sinclair (Adebayo 60), Kinsella, Holden, Gordon, Lavery (McDonald 60).

Subs not used: Rose, Norman, Perry, Osadebe,