Report: Birmingham 3-0 Walsall – final pre-season friendly

A young Saddlers side held their own until the stroke of half-time when Agus Medina lifted in a slick free-kick.

Walsall huffed and puffed in the second period but were knocked back again when Amari Miller tucked home a superb cross-field cross from Odin Bailey.

Bailey continued his impressive performance with a strike in the 87th minute to round off the scoring and secure the win.

With Walsall’s first competitive game in six months fast approaching on Saturday, Darrell Clarke chose a youthful and somewhat unknown side to face Birmingham, naming five trialists among the starting XI.

Mat Sadler, Zak Jules, Jack Nolan and Elijah Adebayo were the only recognised first team players named in the team, alongside academy talents Sam Perry and Jayden Campbell - starting in a 5-3-2 formation.

Five subs were named, made up of one trialist and four academy players.

Young forward Bailey, who spent time on loan at Forest Green Rovers last season, started for an experimental Birmingham side.

Despite a delay in the BluesTV stream at the Trillion Trophy Training Centre, fans did not miss any major action as the two teams settled in for the first 10 minutes.

A end-to-end lively start to the game saw both sides go close with set pieces, as a Birmingham corner was punched away by Trialist A, before a Walsall free-kick sailed over the bar.

Trialist C, believed to be former academy player Danny Coogan who was officially released in May, started brightly for the Saddlers and saw plenty of action down the right playing right-wing-back.

Alongside Coogan, Trialist B, believed to be former Wolves defender Greg Halford who initially trained with the Saddlers in March, had a solid start to the game on the right of the back three.

Despite that, Bailey went close on the half-hour mark with an effort that was just dragged wide.

Walsall perhaps should have had a penalty after 40 minutes when Adebayo cut inside smartly and seemed to be brought down in the box - but the referee waved it away.

Then, on the stroke of half-time Medina opened the scoring direct from a free-kick to give the hosts the lead at the end of the first period.

At the beginning of the second half Walsall changed goalkeepers with Trialist F replacing A and Tom Leak replacing Jules in defence. Birmingham made no changes at the break.

In the 54th minute Birmingham doubled their lead through Miller who was found over the top by a superb ball from Bailey. He finished neatly beyond Trialist F.

Walsall struggled to break down the hosts after an hour and brought on Joe Willis, Joe Foulkes and Saif Mukadam to change to a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Shortly after, Nolan spun his marker, cut inside and shot, but it sailed just over the bar.

The disjointed Walsall side, full of trialists and youngsters, then failed to fashion any clear chances but still kept a rigid back-line as Birmingham looked to edge forward.

Substitute Charlie Lakin went close from a volley after 82 minutes, but it whistled inches wide. Minutes later Trialist F made a superb save again from Lakin at close range to keep it at 2-0.

As Birmingham piled on more pressure Lakin again was denied by Trialist F who impressed in goal.

Despite his efforts, Bailey then added a third with a skillful first time effort that was lashed into the roof of the net.

The game then trickled away in the final minutes as Clarke’s side were condemned to a 3-0 defeat.

Walsall: Trialist A (Trialist F, 45), Trialist B, Sadler (Mukadam, 57), Jules (Leak, 45), Trialist C (Foulkes, 57), Perry, Trialist D, Campbell, Nolan, Trialist E, Adebayo (Willis, 60).

Birmingham: Prieto, Dacres-Cogley, Roberts, Gordon (Roberts, 63), Seddon, Davis, Medina, Toral (Lakin, 69), Bailey, Miller, Reid.

Subs not used: Jeacock, Colin, Dean, Pedersen, Friend, Kieftenbeld, Sunjic, Campbell, Crowley, Bela, George.