Walsall 3 Wycombe 2 - Report and pictures

Goals from Andy Cook and Isaiah Osbourne put the Saddlers into the ascendancy at the Banks’s Stadium.

But a Luke Leahy own-goal 10 minutes from time gave the visitors hope they could snatch an unlikely point.

Walsall then netted an own-goal of their own when George Dobson’s surging run ended with Dominic Gape turning the ball into his own net.

That should have been that but Wycombe won a 90th minute penalty when Dobson tripped Fred Onyedinma in the box.

Scott Kasket saw his spot-kick saved but Alex Samuel fired in the rebound. And while that set up a tense finale, Walsall held on too claim the points.

ANALYSIS

Boss Keates sprang a surprise when naming his starting line-up with new recruit Russell Martin handed his Walsall debut at the heart of the defence.

The former Scotland international replaced Jack Fitzwater who missed out through injury having previously played every minute of every game for the Saddlers this season.

Keates also opted for a change in system with his team lining up in a 4-3-3 formation that saw Morgan Ferrier and Kieron Morris operate either side of Andy Cook up front.

Wycombe started the clash in a traditional 4-4-2 formation with former Walsall Player of the Year Jason McCarthy at centre-back and Craig Mackail-Smith partnering Adebyao Akinfenwa in attack.

In what proved an intriguing opening 20 minutes, it was Walsall who started the brighter of the two teams with Connor Ronan looking to dictate play in the middle of the park.

And they created a couple of half chances to take the lead with George Dobson seeing a goal-bound strike blocked inside the box while a fierce 25-yard drive from Ferrier was claimed by Ryan Allsopp.

Gradually though Wycombe showed they too carried an attacking threat with Mackail-Smith latching onto an Akinfenwa flick-on before firing straight at Liam Roberts.

Paris Cowan-Hall then forced the Saddlers keeper into two good stops from distance.

Walsall responded with a sweeping counter-attack launched following a brilliant Cook pass.

It ended with Ronan sending a pin-point cross into the box but Ferrier miss-read it and was unable to turn the ball goalwards.

The game had settled into a scrappy but even affair. But midway through the half, The Chairboys should have opened the scoring.

A cross from the right was knocked back into the danger area by Akinfenwa where it was met by an unmarked Mackail-Smith.

But despite having the entire goal to aim at, the former Peterborough man steered a header wide when he should scored.

Incredibly, Walsall then survived an even bigger scare just past the half-hour mark with another Akinfenwa knock-down this time finding Cowan-Hall.

The winger darted past Luke Leahy and into the box before powerfully firing a strike against the underside of the bar which then bounced to safety.

In the 36th minute though, it was the Saddlers who got their noses in front after Ferrier won a free-kick on the left.

Ronan sent in the resultant set-piece with Martin flicking the ball towards goal before Cook then nodded in.

Visibly lifted, the Saddlers should have made it two six-minutes before half-time with Morris millimeters away from tapping in a dangerous Ferrier cross.

During the interval, Saddlers legend Jorge Leitao was interviewed on the pitch much to the delight of the Saddlers crowd.

And it Walsall who came flying out the traps following the re-start with Keates’ side doubling their lead in the 53rd minute.

A Ferrier cross was collected by Cook in the box who then did well to find Wilson.

At the byline, the Albion loanee saw his first cross hit the keeper. But his second fell for Osbourne who tapped in from close range.

Following the goal, Walsall enjoyed a spell where they dominated possession with Keates’ side passing the ball around well.

And with his team looking short of ideas, Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth made a double change with Scott Kashket and Alex Samuel replacing Mackail-Smith and Cowan-Hall.

Just a few seconds later, the Chairboys almost pulled a goal back when Bryn Morris sent a wonderful strike from 25-yards inches past the post.

With a little over 10 minutes remaining though, Walsall really should have put the game to bed.

Cook darted into the box and looked to have rounded Allsop. But the keeper did brilliantly well to push the ball away at the striker’s feet.

And while it fell for Ferrier, the striker fired into the top tier of the Homeserve stand to continue what had been an impressive but erratic display.

The Saddlers had been comfortable but in the 80th minute they gave the visitors a lifeline when Leahy put the ball into his own net.

Following a long ball forward, both the full-back and Roberts seemed to get caught in two minds as to who would clear the danger.

And with an outstretched leg, Leahy then lifted the ball over his keeper and into the net.

The goal made the home crowd nervy. But they only had four minutes to wait before the Saddlers scored the goal that ultimately wrapped up the points.

A surging 50-yard run from Dobson saw the midfielder carry the ball all the way to the byline.

But while his cross was cleared by a defender, the ball then hit Dominic Gape and sailed into the net.

That should have been that but in the 90th minute Wycombe won a penalty after Fred Onyedinma was tripped in the box by Dobson.

Kashket saw the resultant spot-kick saved only for Samuel to fire in the rebound.

And while the visitors sent numerous long balls forward after that, Walsall held on to claim the points.

TEAMS

Walsall: Roberts, Wilson, Guthrie, Martin, Leahy, Dobson, Osbourne, Ronan, Morris, Cook, Ferrier (Ginnelly 84).

Subs not used: Dunn, Devlin, Johnson, Kinsella, Ismail, Gordon.

Wycombe: Allsop, Jacobson, El-Abd, Mackail-Smith (Samuel 68), Cowan-Hall (Kashket 68), Harriman, Morris, Thompson, Onyedinma, Akinfenwa, McCarthy.

Subs not used: Ma-Kalambay, Gape, Bean, Charles, Freeman.