Carlisle 2 Walsall 1 - Report and pictures

Poor defending from the Saddlers allowed the hosts to score twice from corners, from both Nick Anderton and Ryan Loft in the first half.

A Mat Sadler header early in the second half, also from a corner, gave Walsall hope, but Carlisle hung on to clinch the win.

Darrell Clarke made two changes to the side that won 2-1 at home to Crawley last time out, starting in a 4-5-1 formation.

Cameron Norman and Caolan Lavery dropped to the bench, while Cameron Pring returned from illness and new signing Nathan Sheron was thrown straight into the starting XI for his debut.

Stuart Sinclair also made his return from injury, making the Saddlers bench.

Chris Beech made two changes to the Carlisle team that drew 1-1 with Oldham last week, starting in a 4-4-2 formation.

Striker Lewis Alessandra, who signed from Morecambe yesterday, started from the off in his debut for the club, replacing Hallam Hope who was sold to Swindon.

Harry McKirdy, who scored the winner in the 94th minute at the Banks’s Stadium last month, was not involved in the squad, with Loft taking his place in the starting XI.

The game started extremely slowly for both sides, with neither fashioning a chance of any sort in the opening 15 minutes.

Despite starting poorly, Carlisle took the lead after 21 minutes. A free-kick from the left was swung in and not dealt with by the Walsall defence. The ball fell kindly to Anderton who finished from five yards.

The Saddlers should have equalised minutes later through Elijah Adebayo. A cross was aimed at the striker but the onrushing Adam Collin should have caught it. Instead the goalkeeper dropped the ball and Adebayo, on the turn, shot into the side netting.

With Clarke’s men beginning to put on the pressure, Liam Kinsella went close when his shot from the edge of the box was turned around the post.

Liam Roberts saved his team when Loft was sent through on goal by Alessandra after closing down the striker well. But from the resulting corner Loft tapped in during a scramble in the box.

The hosts went into half-time leading 2-0.

Less than five minutes into the second half and Walsall pulled a goal back. A corner from Rory Holden is met at the near post by Sadler who heads home.

Neither side was able to create any meaningful chances in the minutes that followed the goal.

Dan Scarr did well to prevent Loft another opportunity when he cut out a cross from close range with the striker lurking.

The Saddlers changed to a 4-4-2 when Jack Nolan replaced Holden, allowing Josh Gordon to move up front.

In a stop-start half, Carlisle again went close when a low cross caused Roberts trouble. The goalkeeper couldn’t hold it but Norman cleared near the goal line before a forward could pounce.

Walsall failed to make their second-half dominance count in the closing stages and Carlisle came away with a 2-1 win.

Walsall: Roberts, Clarke (Norman 62), Sadler, Scarr, Pring, Kinsella (Guthrie 57), Sheron, Holden (Nolan 70), McDonald, Gordon, Adebayo.

Subs not used: Rose, K.Roberts, Sinclair, Lavery.

Carlisle: Collin, Hayden, Thomas, M.Jones, Alessandra (Charters 90), Scougall (Iredale 80), Watt, G.Jones, Webster, Loft (Bridge 77), Anderton.

Subs not used: Gray, Olomola, Sagaf, Hunt.

Attendance: 4,097 (286 away).