Walsall's last six meetings vs Bolton ahead of FA Cup clash
Walsall kick-off their FA Cup campaign by welcoming League One outfit Bolton Wanderers at Bescot in the first round on Saturday.
The Saddlers reached the third round last season where they eventually fell to a 4-0 defeat at Southampton.
They sit second in League Two after collecting eight wins from 13 games while Bolton have recovered from a poor start to propel themselves into the play-off spots with six wins from eight.
It's been over three years since both clubs last met but we look back at their last six meetings ahead of this weekend's clash.
Walsall blew a first half lead to fall to a 2-1 defeat at Bolton Wanderers in League Two in 2021.
Sam Perry fired Walsall ahead from distance inside 29 minutes before Kieran Lee's header hauled Bolton level midway into the second half.
Hayden White was shown a straight red card for grabbing Dapo Afolayan by the throat and Eoin Doyle compounded Walsall's misery by scoring the decider from the spot 10 minutes from time.
Rory Holden's free-kick sealed three points for Walsall as they came from behind in a 2-1 victory over Bolton at Bescot in the winter of 2020.
Doyle arrived unmarked at the back post to hammer his finish into the roof of the net from close-range after 13 minutes.
But Elijah Adebayo levelled on the cusp of half-time when he glanced his header home from Cameron Norman's near post cross.
Holden completed the turnaround 12 minutes after the restart with a ferocious free-kick into the top corner from 20 yards out.
Walsall crashed out of the FA Cup in the third round with a heavy 5-2 defeat at Bolton in January 2019.
Andy Cook gave Walsall the lead after 19 minutes before three goals in five minutes from Bolton turned the contest on its head.
Clayton Donaldson halved the deficit and Josh Magennis propelled Wanderers into the lead either side of the hour before Jon Guthrie's own goal added a third for the hosts in the 63rd minute.
Mark Beevers' own goal presented Walsall with hope of a comeback but those ambitions were dashed when Magennis completed his hat-trick with a late double.
Walsall's five-match unbeaten run was ended in emphatic fashion as Bolton condemned them to a 4-1 defeat in February 2017.
Erhun Oztumer provided Walsall with the perfect start inside four minutes as he rocked the hosts with a stunning 40-yard strike.
Bolton scored three times before the half-hour mark courtesy of Gary Madine, James O'Connor (own goal) and Liam Trotter.
Substitute Chris Long added a fourth in the dying stages to add salt into gaping Walsall wounds.
10-man Walsall ended Bolton's unbeaten start to the season with a 1-0 victory at Bescot in September 2016.
Joe Edwards was given his early marching orders for elbowing Chris Taylor in the 16th minute but Jason McCarthy bundled home on the half-hour mark.
Neil Etheridge then emerged as the hero with a pair of superb saves to deny David Wheater before thwarting both Taylor and Jamie Proctor.
Keshi Anderson was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time to compound a difficult afternoon for Wanderers.
Premier League outfit Bolton knocked Walsall out of the League Cup with a 3-1 win at Bescot in the third round in September 2006.
Kevin Nolan opened the scoring on 68 minutes from Nicolas Anelka's cross before Martin Butler equalised.
Ivan Campo restored Bolton's lead and Nicolas Anelka put the seal on the win by adding a third late on.
