Southend 0 Walsall 0 - Report

The Saddlers travelled to the southeast to face the team second bottom of League Two in a relegation six-pointer, with Walsall also struggling and starting the game 20th in the division.

Neither side created an abundance of chances in the first half, with Southend’s Timothee Dieng hitting the bar from a corner and Walsall’s Caolan Lavery being denied from close range.

Sam Hart, who had impressed for the hosts, was sent off after 70 minutes for a dreadful tackle on Derick Osei Yaw, but despite having the extra man Walsall could not make it count.

They even allowed Southend some late opportunities of their own as they limped over the line to earn a point.

Brian Dutton made two changes to his team, starting in a 5-2-3 formation.

Academy defender Tom Leak came straight into the starting XI for his first ever senior appearance, replacing Hayden White who started a three-game suspension.

Tyreik Wright was also unavailable after being called up to the Ireland Under-21 squad and his place on the bench was taken by Frank Vincent.

Academy midfielder Joe Willis, who recently returned to full training after a broken metatarsal injury, travelled with the squad but did not make the 18.

Both Jack Nolan and Jayden Reid were again not involved and did not travel. The latter, who is on-loan from Birmingham, played for the Blues’ Under-23 squad on Monday evening.

Dan Scarr and Rory Holden missed out through injury.

Mark Molesley also made two changes to his side, starting in a 4-4-2 formation.

Ashley Nathaniel-George and Brandon Goodship came in, as Ricky Holmes and Simeon Akinola dropped to the bench.

After the opening 10 minutes neither side had created a clear chance as there was very little to separate them. The hosts were almost handed a gift, however, when James Clarke first failed to deal with a long ball and then Liam Roberts struggled to claim it. The goalkeeper was fortunate to be given a foul as Goodship backed into him.

Shortly after it was Southend goalkeeper Mark Oxley that kept his side in it. A short corner was played to Cameron Norman who delivered a superb cross to the near post. Lavery was first to it and his headed effort was saved from close-range by Oxley’s feet.

After a five-minute spell in which those two previous chances came, the game then fell into another dull slump 25 minutes in. Neither attacking forces were able to create opportunities, as both defences dealt with several long balls with relative ease.

Despite that, the Shrimpers came close when Dieng hit the crossbar. The striker met Hart’s corner and from six yards his header was inches away from opening the scoring.

That same pairing combined again moments later from open play, but Dieng’s header from Hart’s cross was tame and straight at Roberts.

Emmanuel Osadebe did well when he picked up a loose ball and ran at defender, and last man, Shaun Hobson. He looked to his right and played in Josh Gordon but the striker slipped as he shot and the ball lashed wide.

Leak, who had settled in well on his first appearance in senior football, put in a perfectly timed tackle to deny Hart who was racing towards goal after skipping past two Saddlers players.

After two minutes of added time at the end of half-time, neither side could make it count and entered the break drawing 0-0. Although Walsall were fairly comfortable defensively, they lacked any quality going forward. They seemed determined to play the ball down the channels but were failing to make it count by overhitting most of their long balls, or losing the battles in the air.

As Walsall emerged for the second half, they made a triple substitution. Gordon, Lavery and Max Melbourne were all replaced by Wes McDonald, Osei Yaw and Callum Cockerill-Mollett. Gordon and Lavery were both on yellow cards and after a scrappy first half that likely played a part in the decision.

The Blues started the half brightly and opened Walsall up down their left through full-back Hart. A good Southend move then ended with Reeco Hackett-Fairchild finding space in the box, to the right, but his shot was wide.

Nathan Ferguson then came close with a shot following a short corner, which was pushed away by Roberts. Shortly after, Walsall changed to a 4-2-3-1 formation to try and get on the ball.

As the game edged towards the 70th minute Hart was handed a straight red card for a heavy two-footed challenge on Osei Yaw.

With the one-man advantage Walsall began to dominate the ball as the game passed the 75th minute. Southend were playing to keep hold of the ball where possible and frustrate the Saddlers.

Despite that, a swift move from the home side saw Akinola get on the end of a cross but his header was caught by Roberts. Dieng then directed a free header over the bar, when he should have done better.

Osadebe almost created the moment the Saddlers needed when he took on three men and raced towards goal. His cut-back for Vincent, however, was short and the chance was lost.

Roberts pulled off a magnificent save to deny John White in added time as the Saddlers left Roots Hall with a point.

Teams

Walsall: Roberts, Norman (Vincent, 74), Leak, Sadler, Clarke, Melbourne (Cockerill-Mollett, 45), Sinclair (Perry, 67), Kinsella, Osadebe, Gordon (McDonald, 45), Lavery (Osei Yaw, 45)

Subs: Rose, Bates.

Southend: Oxley, Demetriou, White, Hobson, Hart, Nathaniel-George, McCormack (Olayinka, 72), Ferguson, Hackett-Fairchild, Dieng, Goodship (Akinola, 56)

Subs not used: Seaden, Cordner, Holmes, Taylor, Mellis.