Oldham 1 Walsall 1 - Report and pictures

In a clichéd game of the two halves, the Saddlers had been the better team in the opening 45 minutes and took the lead through Jack Fitzwater.

But the Latics pulled themselves level on the stroke of half-time though Duckens Nazon.

And the home side then went on to dominate after the break with Walsall having to dig deep to ensure they held on to register a crucial point in the League One survival race.

The result means the Saddlers have moved up to 17th in League One, six points above the drop zone.

Analysis

Keates sprung a number of surprises when naming his starting line-up with the boss opting to make three changes from the team that secured victory against Bury.

Liam Kinsella, George Dobson and Julien Ngoy were all recalled at the expense of Florent Cuvelier, Erhun Oztumer and Justin Shaibu.

It meant the Saddlers lined up in a 4-4-2 formation with Devlin moving to the right of midfield and Ngoy partnering Amadou Bakayoko up front.

Oldham, under the guidance of Richie Wellens, also began in a 4-4-2 system with Wolves loanee Duckens Nazon joining top scorer Eoin Doyle in attack.

Before kick-off, Keates billed the match as the “ultimate six-pointer” with the home said able to move level on points with the Saddlers if they were able to get a win.

But despite the pressure, both teams showed an intent to attack from the off with Walsall almost opening the scoring in the opening few minutes following some excellent work from Dobson.

The midfielder managed to burst into the box before jinking past a defender and squaring to Ngoy. But the striker then hit a low drive that was claimed by the keeper when he should have scored.

Keates’ men had started well and they threatened again when an unmarked Ngoy headed over following a whipped Morris delivery.

Oldham hit-back with Nazon producing an audacious over-head kick which nestled onto the roof of the net. The forward then powered a strike wide from 20-yards.

After the bright start, the game was proving a more even affair as the clock ticked past the half-hour mark.

But Walsall managed to get their noses in front in the 34th minute after forcing a corner.

A Kieron Morris’ delivery was met by Luke Leahy with keeper Johny Placide doing well to tip his header onto the bar.

But the loose ball fell kindly for Fitzwater who was in the right place to then nod in from close range.

Over the course of the first-half, the Saddlers had defended well with Oldham largely having been restricted to efforts from distance.

But the visitors were dealt a hammer blow on the stroke of half-time when Nazon fired in from just inside the box.

The striker collected the ball in the area but while he was surrounded by defenders, nobody made a challenge.

And he then drilled a low drive which Liam Roberts got a hand to but wasn’t able to keep out.

Arguably fortunate to be on terms, Oldham came flying out the blocks at the start of the second half with the home side enjoying a long and sustained spell of pressure.

And they almost took the lead in the 55th minute when a Nazon strike took a wicked deflection off Fitzwater with Roberts then doing brilliantly to scramble back and claw the ball away.

Suddenly, the home side were rampant with Walsall clinging on as they defended wave after wave of attacks.

And the Saddlers again had Roberts to thank for keeping them on terms just past the hour mark – with the keeper palming away another fierce Nazon effort from distance.

With Walsall waving weathered the storm, it wasn’t until the 73rd minute that the hosts threatened again with Doyle turning in the box before seeing a low strike comfortably saved.

The Saddlers had been second best throughout the second half but they almost snatched all three points when Jon Guthrie glanced Dobson’s free-kick towards goal only to see his header expertly tipped over by Placide.

Oldham then almost won the clash in the 90th minute with substitute Aaron Amadi-Holloway powering a header at goal from a corner only for a combination of Walsall players to somehow hack the ball clear.

Teams

Walsall: L. Roberts, Kinsella, Fitzwater, Guthrie, Leahy, Devlin, Chambers, Dobson, Morris, Bakayoko, Ngoy (Shaibu 69).

Subs not used: Gillespie, Roberts, Kouhyar, Flanagan, Cuvelier, Oztumer.

Oldham: Placide, Moimbe, Gerrard, Gardner, Nazon (Amadi-Holloway 69), Doyle, Edmundson, McEleney, Hunt, Fane, Byrne (Davies 89).

Subs not used: De la Paz, Pringle, Nepomuceno, Obadeyi, Hamer.