Newport 1 Walsall 1 - Report

A good start from the Saddlers was rewarded after 21 minutes when Elijah Adebayo neatly tucked an effort into the bottom corner.

But the celebrations were cut short when the hosts equalised less than two minutes later. A Scott Twine free-kick, from at least 35 yards, was directed straight at Roberts and the goalkeeper fumbled his catch as the ball crossed the line.

Walsall withstood some Newport pressure in the second half, and had their own opportunities, as both sides settled for a point.

The result ends the Saddlers’ losing streak that had stretched to four games ahead of kick-off.

Darrell Clarke made two changes to the side that lost to Cheltenham Town on Saturday, starting in a 4-5-1 formation.

Captain James Clarke made his full return from injury, while Alfie Bates came back in following his suspension last time out.

Danny Guthrie dropped to the bench while Callum Cockerill-Mollett was not involved in the squad.

Young midfielder Sam Perry travelled with the squad but did not make the 18, while George Nurse and Josh Gordon were still missing with injury.

Michael Flynn also made two changes to his side, as they started in a 5-3-2 formation.

Former West Brom youngster Joss Labadie and striker Padraig Amond came into the team as Jamie Devitt and Tristan Abrahams dropped to the bench.

The first 10 minutes was a quiet affair in front of goal as neither side had any clear chances. Walsall were compact defensively and were pressing high up the pitch, forcing the hosts into the occasional mistake.

Clarke made a potentially goal-saving tackle when he slid in to deny Amond who was bearing down on goal. The striker was gifted the ball when Zak Jules had a heavy touch and gave up possession.

After 21 minutes Walsall took the lead. Rory Holden did superbly well as he rode two or three challenges and then played a through-ball in for Adebayo. The striker confidently tucked the ball into the bottom corner.

But the lead lasted less than two minutes. Twine struck a free-kick from around 35 yards and despite the effort being straight at Roberts, the goalkeeper fumbled the ball into the net.

As the game sprung into life, the Saddlers almost took the lead again when Emmanuel Osadebe latched onto a ball in the box following a Matty Dolan mistake and with the goal gaping he lifted it over and wide.

With chances coming thick and fast, Liam Kinsella went close. The midfielder won the ball back and raced towards goal but Brandon Cooper slid in to block his eventual shot. Holden was free on the right but Kinsella chose to shoot.

Dan Scarr then headed just over from a Holden cross.

Adebayo had an opportunity on the half-volley at the end of three minutes of added time, but he failed to connect with the ball properly. The first half ended 1-1.

Top of the table Newport started the second half brightly and dominated the ball. Although they were unable to unlock the Walsall defence early on, they kept the Saddlers camped back in their own half - restricting them to long balls.

Adebayo had the ball in the net 11 minutes into the second half, following a clever through ball by Jake Scrimshaw, but the striker had just strayed offside.

Scrimshaw himself was almost put through moments later from a neat flick by Osadebe but goalkeeper Nick Townsend was first to the ball.

Twine should have scored his second when he met a Amond cross in the box, but the midfielder’s shot was tame and caught by Roberts. Jules gave the ball away poorly in the build-up to the chance.

Liam Shephard, in right-wing-back, was starting to cause Walsall and Jules problems as he consistently created space on the flank and delivered perfect crosses for the strikers to attack - but the Walsall defence stood firm.

Newport’s top goalscorer Abrahams, on seven strikes this season, was introduced just after the hour mark as the hosts looked for a winner.

Walsall, however, began to see more of the ball with Adebayo and Holden heavily involved. A handful of set pieces came to nothing.

As Shephard was impressing on the right, Ryan Haynes was equally as effective in left-wing-back. The 25-year-old had plenty of space in the first half but his team-mates failed to find him, however as the game ticked beyond the 70th minute he was beginning to have more joy.

Adebayo lifted an effort over the bar after meeting an Osadebe chest down in the box. The chance came from improved passing play from the Saddlers.

Amond then narrowly missed a header in the box.

Twine should have easily put Newport ahead after 80 minutes when he met a Robbie Willmott cross. From just five yards he directed his header wide.

Osadebe was lucky not to give away a penalty late on when he fouled Twine just on the edge of the box. Dolan’s free-kick was deflected inches wide of the post and Walsall dealt with the subsequent corner.

With four minutes of added time on the clock, it was backs to the wall defending for the Saddlers as the hosts piled on the pressure.

As the game neared an end it was actually Walsall that looked for a winner with a handful of corners but in the end both sides took a point home.

Teams

Walsall: Roberts, Norman, Scarr, Clarke, Jules, Holden, Kinsella, Bates, Osadebe (Nolan, 90), Scrimshaw (McDonald, 72), Adebayo (Lavery, 72).

Subs not used: Rose, White, Sinclair, Guthrie.

Newport: Townsend, Haynes (Devitt, 72), Demetriou, Dolan, Cooper, Shephard (Willmott, 72), Labadie, Sheehan, Twine, Proctor (Abrahams, 64), Amond (Ellison, 84).

Subs not used: King, Bennett, Janneh.