Colchester United 2 Walsall 1 - Report

The Saddlers travelled to Essex as the in-form side having picked up back-to-back wins ahead of the clash.

They looked on track for another good afternoon when James Clarke put them ahead after 20 minutes but a first half fight-back from Colchester saw them take the lead before the break.

Michael Folivi and Ryan Clampin notched those all-important strikes after an impressive 45 minutes from the hosts.

Despite making tactical changes and bringing on substitutes in the second half, Walsall were unable to make a dent on the Colchester defence and failed to make their League Two safety a mathematical certainty as they were defeated.

Brian Dutton made two changes, starting with a 4-5-1 formation.

Hayden White returned from injury and came straight into the starting XI, as Tom Leak dropped to the bench.

Rory Holden was left out of the squad altogether and was replaced in the team by Caolan Lavery. Academy midfielder Joe Willis made the bench for the first time this season after recovering from a broken metatarsal in his foot.

Josh Gordon moved to the left of midfield as Lavery played as a lone striker. That meant Emmanuel Osadebe played centrally in midfield.

Frank Vincent, who was on the bench on Tuesday night, was not involved. Stuart Sinclair and Dan Scarr continued to miss out through injury, while Jack Nolan and Callum Cockerill-Mollett were not selected.

Youngster Danny Coogan, who was officially released by the club in May 2020 but invited to return and train with the team, travelled with the squad for the first time.

Hayden Mullins made three changes to his side, starting in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Goalkeeper Shamal George came in, alongside Noah Chilvers and Folivi.

The first chance of the game came and went for the hosts as Harry Pell made a mess of it. The ball fell kindly to the midfielder from 20 yards and with the goal to aim at he completely missed the ball.

Colchester started the brighter of the two sides and after 10 minutes they were inches away from taking the lead. Callum Harriott turned inside neatly, played a one-two pass with Frank Nouble and was played in on goal. Harriott curled his left-footed effort towards the top corner but watched it crash back off the post, before Walsall cleared it to safety.

After an uncertain start to the game Walsall began to settle after 20 minutes and got hold of the ball. Colchester’s physicality was difficult to get to grips with, however.

Walsall’s first chance then came. Tyreik Wright’s lovely pass played Osadebe through on goal but as the midfielder turned and shot, defender Miles Welch-Hayes made a huge block to deny a goal.

From the resulting corner, however, the Saddlers took the lead. Wright whipped it in, Lavery flicked it on and captain Clarke arrived at the back post with a striker’s instinct to tap home.

After picking up his first goal of the season on Saturday, this strike was the defender’s second in three games.

The U’s almost responded when Chilvers crossed for Folivi and the winger’s acrobatic effort flew wide of the post. With space in the box it was a good opportunity for the forward.

After 36 minutes the hosts equalised. A scramble in the box saw a U’s player hit the post before Folivi followed up to finish from close range. Walsall were furious with the officials as Mat Sadler appeared to be pushed in the build-up but no foul was given.

Colchester were buoyed by that goal and more suspect Walsall defending saw Folivi racing through again. The Saddlers seemed to have dealt with it but Max Melbourne sliced his clearance and almost scored an own goal as the ball looped into the air and landed on the roof of the net.

It is unlike this Walsall side to be poor defensively after Dutton’s work on making them more solid at the back, but after conceding to Colchester they were all at sea in defence. Again, Nouble played Folivi in but his effort flew wide of the post.

On the stroke of half-time Colchester’s pressure paid off as they took the lead. The ball fell to Clampin who volleyed through a crowd of players to find the bottom corner.

It was the last action of the half as the hosts entered the break leading 2-1. Walsall had a good spell in the middle of the half, and got their goal, but looked shaky either side of it. Defensively they were poor and Colchester deserved their lead.

As the teams emerged for the second half, Walsall switched to a 4-4-2 formation as Gordon partnered Lavery up front and Osadebe moved to the left flank. Colchester also brought on Ben Stevenson in place of Harriott.

Despite the tactical switch Walsall were still struggling to get a foothold in the game. In the early stages of the half Chilvers and Clampin both had efforts saved.

The hosts then should have increased their lead. A corner was flicked on by Nouble and flashed across goal, desperate for a final touch. Folivi arrived late and got something on it, but Jack Rose caught it on the line.

Alfie Bates and Wes McDonald were introduced after an hour as the Saddlers searched for a way back into the game.

Only minutes after coming on Bates almost handed the hosts a goal. Picking the ball up in midfield he allowed Brendan Wiredu to steal the ball and race towards goal. Fortunately for Bates the Colchester man fired over the bar.

The hosts continued to threaten going forward and a swift attack saw the ball fall kindly for Wiredu in the box but his effort was blocked by Sam Perry who threw his body in the way.

Nouble and Chilvers both had chances as the game entered the final five minutes.

Deep into added time Walsall were denied what seemed a clear penalty when Sadler was pushed in the air as he jumped for a header. The officials were unmoved.

In the end the Saddlers never looked likely to equalise and were largely bullied by the physical Colchester men. After five minutes of added time they were unable to find a way back into the game and tasted defeat for the first time in seven games.

The Colchester win was their first in 11 games and only their second in 26. Although Walsall failed to mathematically secure their League Two status, with only four games remaining they are closing in on safety.

Teams

Walsall: Rose, White, Clarke, Sadler, Melbourne, Wright (McDonald, 60), Perry, Kinsella (Bates, 60), Osadebe (Osei Yaw, 87), Gordon, Lavery.

Subs not used: Roberts, Norman, Leak, Willis.

Colchester: George, Welch-Hayes, Eastman, Smith, Clampin, Pell, Chilvers (Lapslie, 90), Folivi (Brown, 76), Wiredu (Senior, 76), Harriott (Stevenson, 45), Nouble.

Subs not used: Gerken, Doherty, Sowunmi.