Walsall 0-1 Northampton - report: Saddlers fall to late defeat in EFL Trophy

Kamarai Swyer scored the only goal of the game in the 88th-minute to provide Northampton with a three-point cushion at the top of Group K. 

Jamie Jellis headed wide in the first half, before Albert Adomah was repelled by Northampton goalkeeper Ross Fitzsimons after the break.

Adomah's cross floated onto the crossbar late on, but defeat leaves the Saddlers in second-place in the group ahead of their final group game against Chelsea under-21s.

Only Evan Weir kept his place from the team which began the Saddlers' 2-1 win over Bristol Rovers on Saturday, as loan pair Rico Richards and Jid Okeke made their first starts for the club. 

Walsall made the brighter start in a rather uneventful first half which heralded very few clear-cut opportunities at either end. 

Weir did unlock the Northampton defence with a trademark diagonal ball from deep. Jamille Matt cushioned it down nicely but the visiting defence recovered well to force it behind. 

Jellis came closest for Walsall on the half-hour mark when he met Rico Browne's first-time cross and flicked his header wide of Fitzsimons' right-hand post.

After the restart, Adomah pickpocketed Jordan Willis on the edge of the box, but his eventual finish was saved by the legs of Fitzsimons.

Sam Hornby was called upon to palm away a fizzing effort by Terry Taylor after Jacobs' initial free-kick hit the wall. 

Academy scholars Stan Straw and McLloyd Oben made their debuts from the bench, while Sadler shuffled his pack midway into the second half. 

Okeke was trialled at right centre-back for the final 25 minutes, as Richards partnered Adomah in attack, with Ronan Maher deployed at left wing-back. 

Jacobs failed to capitalise on a good chance to open the scoring when he blazed off target following Tyrese Fornah's low cutback. 

Northampton left it late to decide the contest when Swyer was afforded far too much space to bend a sumptuous effort into the far top corner from 20 yards.

Adomah's cross from the left did kiss the crossbar in stoppage time, but Walsall were unable to find an equaliser.

Next, Walsall resume league action with a trip to the Broadfield Stadium to face Crawley Town on Saturday.

Teams 

Walsall (3-1-4-2): Hornby; Browne, Farquharson (Straw 46), Weir (Oben 66); Comley (Finnigan 46); Clarke (, Jellis (Hollman 46), Richards, Okeke; Matt (Maher 66), Adomah.

Not used: Kilroy, Makavore.

Northampton (3-4-2-1): Fitzsimons; McCarthy, Willis, Thorniley (Guinness-Walker 46); Wormleighton, Campbell (Taylor 46), Perkins, Jacobs; McGeehan (Fornah 46), Swyer; Vale (List 46, for Hoskins 50) .

Not used: Avery, Barnett.

Other Details

Referee: Richard Eley

Attendance: 1,907

At a glance 

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