Walsall 0 Harrogate 1 - Report

Liam Gordon had a low shot cleared off the line in the first half, before Tom Knowles and Isaac Hutchinson hit the post.

But Thomson emerged from the bench to fire under Owen Evans from 20 yards and earn Harrogate a fifth win on the road away from home.

Boos rang around Bescot at full-time after the Saddlers extended their winless run in League Two to four matches.

Douglas James-Taylor was also preferred to Danny Johnson to lead the line, whilst Ronan Maher returned to the bench following his recall from Rushall Olympic.

Brandon Comley was tasked with playing a more advanced role to fill the void left by Ross Tierney's absence.

Sadler was negotiating another injury blow when Joe Riley was forced off inside nine minutes. The right-back had started strongly down the right - combining with Comley to create the first opening, which saw Comley's deflected effort balloon over the woodwork.

However, Riley won a full blooded challenge with Levi Sutton, and was moving gingerly in the aftermath. It then came as no surprise as Joe Foulkes was stripped off to replace him just moments later.

Gordon was a constant threat down the left, and he generated a chance for Hutchinson, although his wayward header was never troubling Harrogate goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell.

The Guyana international then embarked on a mesmerising solo run, which saw him skip beyond two players, before skewing his low strike wide of the near post.

Walsall had a series of corners throughout the first period, and Donervon Daniels was almost the beneficiary of Ryan Stirk's delivery when he nodded over.

Hutchinson floored Kayne Ramsay with a feint on the left and squared for Gordon, whose effort looked destined for the net until Matty Foulds' heroic goal line clearance.

The Saddlers were simply unable to convert chances into goals, and Harrogate grew into the game just after the half hour mark.

Sam Folarin beat Foulkes for pace and worked an effort from an acute angle, which drew a low save from Evans at his near post.

Matty Daly then produced a tidy turn on the edge of the box, and the attack culminated in Foulds' effort deflecting behind.

Daniels had another chance on the cusp of half-time, but he was once again unable to direct Stirk's delivery on target.

James-Taylor had a golden chance to warrant Sadler's decision to start him but was denied by an excellent block from Kayne Ramsay, after Knowles flashed a fizzing delivery to the back post.

Comley also squandered an opportunity when James-Taylor cushioned Gordon's low cross into his path, before the midfielder blasted his effort over the woodwork.

Sadler introduced Johnson into the action for the final 25 minutes, but it was at the other end that Walsall had to be mindful.

Ramsay's beautiful flick sent Falkingham racing down the right and his low ball found the feet of Daly. The Harrogate forward, who scored in the corresponding fixture last season, struck low, but found the outstretched leg of Daniels in his way.

Walsall then enjoyed their best period of the game as they hit the post twice in the space of just two minutes.

Knowles took aim from 20 yards and smashed his low shot against the base of the post, before Hutchinson saw his effort denied once again by the goal frame.

Johnson had drilled a low powerful delivery into the six yard box, which Stirk was unable to meet. But Walsall kept the attack alive and Hutchinson cut onto his right foot to curl a low effort against the cheek of the post.

Harrogate ended the match the stronger side with Jack Muldoon sneaking around the back of the Walsall defence to force Evans into action with a textbook finger tip save.

But the Sulphurites delivered a deadly blow five minutes from time as the Walsall defence, and Evans, switched off!

Thomson was afforded an abyss of space to cut inside from the right, and the substitute's low effort rolled underneath a hapless Evans to condemn Walsall to defeat.

Walsall Starting XI (4-5-1): Evans; Riley (Foulkes 10), Daniels, Okagbue, Gordon; Knowles, McEntee, Comley (Maher 80), Stirk, Hutchinson; James-Taylor (Johnson 64).

Subs: Smith, Allen, Menayese, Griffiths.

Harrogate (4-4-2): Mitchell; Ramsay, O'Connor, McDonald, Foulds (Gibson 76); Folarin, Falkingham, Sutton (Cornelius 60), Odoh; Muldoon, Daly (Thomson 76).

Subs: Thomas, Burrell, Sivi, Dooley.

Referee: Matt Corlett

Attendance: 4,654