Walsall 1 Bristol Rovers 3 - Report and pictures
Walsall crashed to defeat on Boxing Day with Bristol Rovers running out comfortable 3-1 winners at the Banks's Stadium.
On what was a dreadful afternoon for Dean Keates' side, the Saddlers found themselves two goals down after just 10 minutes with Tom Lockyer and Alex Rodman on target.
Walsall did pull a goal back in first-half stoppage time when Josh Gordon produced a neat finish to hook the ball in from 12-yards.
But they lacked quality all afternoon with too many passes going astray while the standard of balls into the box was also nowhere near good enough.
More poor defending saw Rovers extend their lead further shortly after the break through Tareiq Holmes-Dennnis.
And Walsall offered very little after, with the team falling way below the standards expected from them.
ANALYSIS
When naming his starting line-up, boss Keates made two changes from the team that impressed at Peterborough last time out.
Having limped off in that match, Isaiah Osbourne was absent through injury with George Dobson coming back into central midfield.
There was also a recall for winger Zeli Ismail with Kane Wilson the man to miss out.
It meant Walsall remained in a 4-4-2 formation with Andy Cook partnered by Gordon in attack while Kieron Morris was on the right and Ismail on the left.
Bristol Rovers, under the guidance of caretaker boss Graham Coughlan, also lined up in a 4-4-2 system with Watford loanee Alex Jakubiak joined by Gavin Reilly up front.
The Saddlers entered the game looking to give their fans a late Christmas present.
But a disastrous start saw them fall two-nil down after just 10 minutes with ex-Shrewsbury man Rodman key to both goals.
Rovers opened the scoring when Liam Roberts dashed from his line to claim a hopeful free-kick only for Liam Kinsella to clear the ball ahead of his keeper.
And with the glovesman out of position, Rodman sent in a cross which Lockyer prodded in from close range.
Incredibly, just minutes later, the away fans were celebrating again when Tareiq Holmes-Dennis was given two bites of the cherry to send in a cross from the left.
And the second was powerfully met on the volley by Rodman with Jack Fitzwater just unable to clear the ball on the goal line.
Walsall came a whisker away from pulling a goal back in the 13th minute when Nicky Devlin stood up a cross which Jon Guthrie glanced onto the post.
Morris then danced past three men and into the box only to see a fierce drive parried away by Jack Bonham.
As the clock ticked past the half-hour mark, Rovers were happy to sit back, defend in numbers and invite pressure.
And Walsall, quite simply, didn't have the quality or movement to break them down with too many passes going astray and balls into the box not good enough.
They continued to huff and puff as half-time approached with Cook knocking-down a header for Morris who was well placed just inside the box.
But the winger then arrowed a drive past the post when he should have hit the target.
In stoppage time though, the Saddlers did pull a goal back.
Luke Leahy floated in a free-kick which Cook headed into the danger area.
And Gordon then did wonderfully well to hook the ball over his shoulder and into the net from 12-yards.
Walsall came out after the interval needing to build on the momentum they have gained at the end of the first-half.
But it was Rovers who began the brighter of the teams with Ed Upson seeing a strike parried away by Roberts after a short-corner routine.
And the visitors then went on to extend their lead further when Jukubiak darted past both Guthrie and Leahy.
The Watford loanee then managed to squeeze the ball through to Holmes-Dennis who emphatically fired past Roberts from 12-yards.
In need of some inspiration, Keates switched Morgan Ferrier and Joe Edwards for Gordon and Ismail just before the hour mark.
The move saw the Saddlers switch to a 4-3-1-2 formation with Morris operating just behind Ferrier and Cook up front while Edwards moved alongside Dobson and Kinsella in midfield.
Despite the changes, Walsall continued to create next to nothing with Connor Ronan then replaced Morris with a little over 10 minutes still to play.
Walsall though were just not at the races with Keates' men showing no imagination or quality.
And that meant Rovers held on for a comfortable win with the Saddlers never once looking like they would take something from the game in what was a woeful second-half showing.
TEAMS
Walsall: Roberts, Devlin, Fitzwater, Guthrie, Leahy, Ismail (Edwards 59), Dobson, Kinsella, Morris (Ronan 78), Gordon (Ferrier 59), Cook.
Subs not used: Dunn, Johnson, Wilson, Bates.
Bristol Rovers: Bonham, Holmes-Dennis (Nichols 80), Lockyer, Craig, Upson, O Clarke, J Clarke, Jakubiak (Payne 87), Reilly (Sercombe 72), Kelly, Rodman.
Subs not used: Smith, Lines, Broadbent, Partington.
