Sutton United 1 Walsall 1 - Report

Midfielder Maddox’s first goal since January 2019 did the trick as the gutsy Saddlers claimed a welcome share of the spoils having been forced to soak up a barrage of pressure on their travels.

Maddox’s goal was his first for the Saddlers and made sure manager Michael Flynn’s side merged with plenty of credibility despite being reduced to ten men before the half hour mark.

Robert Milsom fired the home side ahead from the penalty spot after defender Peter Clarke fouled Coby Rowe the 72nd minute.

But the Saddlers had left themselves with a mountain to climb when midfielder Brandon Comley was sent-off after only 26 minutes for a needless second yellow card.

From there on in Flynn’s under-pressure team were always going to find it tough going with a man light for over an hour of the game.

And so it proved right up until the 86th minute when Maddox equalised at the VBS Community Stadium.

The damage looked to have been done in the second-half as the home side made their advantage count.

But Comley will know only too well that his lack of focus nearly cost his side dear following his premature departure.

However, it was the visitors who started the brighter in the first meeting between the two clubs since the Saddler’s 1-0 home win at the Bank’s Stadium last March.

Conor Wilkinson’s penalty strike did the damage that day, but there was to be no repeat result this time around as the U’s claimed a third win in a row in all competitions.

Striker Douglas James-Taylor had a great early chance to put the Saddlers ahead, but his fourth minute strike was well-saved by U’s shot-stopper Lewis Ward.

Comley took out fellow midfielder Craig Eastmond in the 16th minute with a poor challenge and was duly booked by referee Paul Howard.

Sutton sprang into life soon after and Will Randall was desperately unlucky not to open the scoring for the hosts, his powerful right-foot shot striking the left post.

The ball flew back off the post and Eastmond poked home from close-range, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

The Saddlers were able to breathe a sigh of relief, but that sigh quickly turned into disappointment as Comley was given his marching orders.

And it was Eastmond who again felt his rath with a dangerous boot to the head.

Eastman was forced to come off after the unsavoury incident and Comley trudged off to the dressing room having lost his head.

Four minutes later Flynn shuffled his pack with loanee James-Taylor replaced by midfielder Tom Knowles as the visitors looked to be more compact to combat the U’s threats.

Midfielder Adam Lovatt forced a smart save from keeper Owen Evans as the home side pushed hard to make their advantage pay.

His fierce shot looked destined for the bottom corner, but Welshman Evans got down well to deny him.

Forward Donovan Wilson then had a shot blocked on the edge of the area as Sutton desperately tried to force the ball into the back of the net.

But despite six minutes of first-half injury time, the U’s could not make the breakthrough the desire as Flynn was given time to inspire his troops at the break.

The home side began brightly after the restart and Randall headed straight at Evans from Joe Kizzi’s cross.

Moments later Wilson tried his luck from distance, but his shot was easily gathered by Evans.

Milsom took aim with a left-foot shot in the 52nd minute, but Evans was again equal to the effort.

Centre-back Enzio Boldewjin, recalled to the U’s starting side, headed over from a Kizzi delivery as the pressure intensified.

And not long after Lebanese forward Omar Bugiel frustratingly nodded over from another Kizzi cross into the box.

But at the other end striker Danny Johnson had a powerful right-shot charged down as the visitors looked to score on the counter-attack.

Midfielder Isaac Hutchinson shot wide of the left post in a decent spell for the Saddlers who, up until then, had really felt been up against it on their travels.

Flynn freshened his pack shortly after the hour mark when Taylor Allen replaced Johnson, in what was to be the first of four substitutions in 11 minutes.

But it was before a triple substitution that the home side finally broke the deadlock – and it came from the spot after Clarke’s foul on Rowe from a corner.

Milsom was as cool as a cucumber and smashed home to give Sutton the lead.

Tom Knowles had a shot blocked as the visitors tried to restore parity straight away, but it was proving to be a frustrating afternoon.

Flynn made his triple substitutions with Maddox, Danny Cashman and Andy Williams brought on for Clarke, Hutchinson and Hayden White respectively.

Kizzi header over from close-range as Sutton failed to seal the deal – and the miss proved costly as Maddox pounced to restore parity.

Sub Cashman’s pass picked out the midfielder, who happily provided a clinical finish into the bottom right corner.

No wonder the 349 travelling Saddlers’ fans rejoiced after this smash-and-grab raid.

Teams

Sutton (4-4-2): Ward; Kizzi, Rowe, John, Milsom; Boldewijn (Neufville 87), Eastmond (Hart 30), Lovatt, Randall-Hurren; Wilson (Fadahunsi 87), Bugiel (Kouassi 80).

Subs not used: House, Gambin, Thomas.

Walsall (3-4-1-2): Evans; Daniels, Clarke (Williams 76), Monthe; White (Maddox 76), Kinsella, Comley, Bennett; Hutchinson (Cashman 76); James-Taylor (Knowles 30), Johnson (Allen 65).

Subs not used: Gordon, Maher.

Referee: Paul Howard

Attendance: 2,773 (away 349)