Stevenage 1-2 Walsall - report: Rico Richards' double seals comeback win in EFL Trophy
Rico Richards scored his first two goals for Walsall to help them come from behind and beat Stevenage 2-1 at the Lamex Stadium in the EFL Trophy round of 32.
Carl Piergianni headed Stevenage into the lead 11 minutes into the second half, after Chem Campbell had crashed a powerful effort on to the crossbar before the break.
Substitute Jake Hollman set-up Richards to equalise just after the hour-mark, before Richards bagged his brace with the decisive finish in the 71st-minute.
Mat Sadler made 10 changes from the team that started the Saddlers' 3-1 win over Bromley at Bescot in League Two on Saturday.
Only Vincent Harper, who was replaced at half-time, kept his place in the XI, as Stan Straw made his first ever senior start and Kemar Roofe was handed his maiden Walsall start.
Stevenage dominated the early possession, but Walsall refused to afford them space to operate in the final third, as they kept their shape really well.
Cari Piergianni did have a towering header blocked, although Walsall broke on the counter-attack where Rico Richards had his close-range effort smothered, after Roofe squared the ball into his path.
Louis Thompson came agonisingly close to opening the scoring for the hosts when he crashed a venomous effort on to the crossbar with a venomous shot from 25 yards out.
Courtney Clarke, fresh from scoring his first Walsall goal on Saturday, attempted an audacious lob from the halfway line, which just sailed not too far over a backpedalling Taye Ashby-Hammond's crossbar.
Albert Adomah spurned a golden chance at the start of the second half. Jid Okeke scooped an inviting cross into the box and Adomah escaped the offside trap, before Ashby-Hammond capitalised on his hesitancy to foil him from close quarters.
Phoenix Patterson had a gilt-edged chance for Stevenage when he was played through on goal but the Scotsman was unable to keep his finish down.
Stevenage eventually found the breakthrough 11 minutes after the restart when Piergianni was afforded a free header at the back post to convert Jasper Patterden's floated corner.
Roofe stung the palms of Ashby-Hammond with a fierce free-kick but Walsall were level just past the hour-mark when substitute Hollman made an immediate impact.
The Australian was released in behind in the inside-left position and delivered a perfectly weighted cutback for Richards to finish with aplomb.
After opening his goal scoring account for the visitors just eight minutes earlier, Richards doubled and the Saddlers' tally to complete the turnaround.
Adomah forced Stevenage into a mistake and Ashby-Hammond was caught in two minds as Richards pounced to tap home from a matter of yards out.
Ryan Doherty almost sent the tie to penalties in the fourth minute of stoppage time but he directed his volley just wide of Hornby's right-hand post.
Next, Walsall travel to National League side Gateshead in the FA Cup second round on Sunday.
Teams
Walsall (3-1-4-2): Hornby; Browne, Straw, Cox; Comley (Warrington 61); Barrett (Maher 73), Richards, Clarke (Jellis 46), Harper (Okeke 45 +1); Roofe (Hollman 61), Adomah (c).
Not used: Kilroy, Oben.
Stevenage (5-3-2): Ashby-Hammond; Pattenden, Goode, Piergianni, Freestone; Phillips, Thompson, Doherty; Campbell (Malcolm 46), Lubala (Young 70), Patterson.
Not used: Marschall, James-Wildin, Reid, Sweeney, Yahyai.
Other details
Referee: Alex Chilowicz
