Peterborough United 4-2 Walsall: Saddlers bow out of EFL Trophy
Walsall bow out of the EFL Trophy after they were handed a 4-2 defeat at League One side Peterborough United in the round of 16.
Gustav Lindgren provided an early breakthrough with just seven minutes gone and Malik Mothersille doubled their advantage from the spot in the 16th-minute.
Danny Johnson momentarily hauled Walsall back into the contest but Lindgren bagged his brace for Peterborough less than 90 seconds later.
Walsall improved after the break but Mothersille put the seal on the win with a double of his own before Josh Gordon grabbed a consolation for Walsall deep into stoppage time.
Mat Sadler made eight changes from Walsall's club record-breaking win over Tranmere on Saturday, with only David Okagbue, Oisin McEntee and Taylor Allen keeping their places in the starting line-up.
Josh Gordon was named among the subs as he made his return to the squad following four months away with a hamstring injury.
Darren Ferguson made five alterations from Peterborough United's 2-0 defeat at Everton last weekend as his side looked to end a dismal six-match winless run in all competitions.
Walsall made the worst possible start when Lindgren opened the scoring for the hosts inside the first seven minutes.
Harley Mills ventured forward from the back and Peterborough eventually worked the ball inside from the left to find Lindgren in space on the edge of the box. Sam Hornby got both gloves to the Swedish frontman's low finish but the ball still found its way into the far corner to hand Walsall an early blow.
Things went from bad to worse for Walsall when referee adjudged David Okagbue to have tripped Emmanuel Fernandez inside the box on the quarter-hour mark. Mothersille took the resulting spot-kick and sent Hornby the wrong way with a confident finish into the bottom corner.
Donervon Daniels was forced off with an injury midway into the first period, forcing Mat Sadler to shuffle his pack. Oisin McEntee dropped into the defence, with Okagbue moving central, while Jamie Jellis was introduced into the heart of midfield.
Johnson halved the deficit on the half-hour mark with his third goal in the EFL Trophy this term. Adomah gave chase to Charlie Lakin's pass into the left channel and squared for Johnson. The cross was slightly behind the Walsall frontman but he eventually found his feet before powering his finish past Bilokapic.
Peterborough would take little more than 60 seconds to restore their two-goal cushion when Lindgren, making his first start for the Posh, doubled his tally.
The hosts carved through the Saddlers back-line with ease and Lindgren remained composed in front of goal to lift a deft finish past the onrushing Hornby.
Johnson squandered a golden chance to double his tally when Bilokapic passed the ball straight into his feet inside the box but he could only fire straight at the Peterborough goalkeeper.
The Saddlers started the second half brightly but Johnson was once again unable to capitalise on another glorious opportunity. Jellis latched on to Comley's slotted pass in behind and squared for Johnson but the striker skewed wide from close-range.
They came even closer to a route back into the game moments later when Rico Browne met Evan Weir's corner at the near post and crashed his thumping header against the woodwork.
Chris Conn-Clarke dinked an audacious effort narrowly wide of Hornby's right-hand post but Walsall still posed the biggest attacking threat as Sadler introduced Connor Barrett and Liam Gordon just past the hour.
Adomah saw his close-range finish from Lakin's low fizzing cross deflected wide and Walsall kept the attack alive before Lakin stung the palms of Bilokapic with a powerful strike from distance.
Josh Gordon made his return from the bench after missing the past four months with a hamstring injury as he was introduced for the closing stages alongside Jamille Matt.
But any hopes of a late comeback were dashed when Mothersille doubled his tally to seal the deal with Posh's fourth with 14 minutes left.
Substitute Bradley Ihionvien danced past a handful of challenges and squared for Mothersille to slot home from a matter of yards.
Lakin came close to reducing the arrears when his stunning effort from distance looked destined for the far top corner until Bilokapic expertly flicked the ball on to the crossbar.
Walsall continued to find Bilokapic in inspired form between the sticks as he twice denied Josh Gordon before repelling another thumping effort from Lakin at his near post.
After his late heroics, Bilokapic made a comical error when his clearance struck the onrushing Josh Gordon and looped into the net as Walsall added a degree of respectability to the score line.
Next, Walsall return to League Two action when they will look to strengthen their grip on top spot with the visit of MK Dons to Bescot on Saturday.
Teams
Walsall (3-1-4-2): Hornby; Okagbue, Daniels (Jellis 23), Weir; Comley; Browne (J Gordon 72), McEntee (Barrett 62), Lakin, Allen (L Gordon 62); Johnson (Matt 72), Adomah.
Unused: Simkin, Maher.
Peterborough (4-2-3-1): Bilokapic; Katongo, Fernandez, Wallin (Nevett 63), Mills; Kyprianou (De Havilland 68), Collins (O'Brien 75); Odoh (Jones 63), Conn-Clarke, Mothersille; Lindgren (Ihionvien 63).
Unused: Blackmore, Dornelly.
Referee: Scott Simpson
Attendance: 2,133
