FA Cup: Walsall 1 Bristol Rovers 2 - Report

Although the visitors play one division higher in League One, there was not much to split the sides in the opening half-hour.

From there, however, the Gas took control and scored twice within six minutes. First Jack Baldwin netted from close range before Brandon Hanlan curled in a superb effort from the edge of the box.

The second half belonged to the Saddlers as they dominated play and controlled the ball. Caolan Lavery and Wes McDonald both went close but Rovers were hanging on.

That is until the 87th minute when Lavery headed home to give the Saddlers hope. The hosts pushed for an equaliser but Bristol stood firm and progressed to the next round.

Darrell Clarke made one change to the side that beat Crawley Town in mid-week, starting in a 4-4-2 formation.

Former Rovers man Stuart Sinclair came into the team as Alfie Bates dropped to the bench.

The Saddlers were still without injured players Josh Gordon, James Clarke, Danny Guthrie and George Nurse.

Ben Garner started his side in a 3-4-2-1 formation.

Former Walsall midfielder Erhun Oztumer, who is on-loan at Rovers from Charlton, made his first start for the club.

Another familiar face for the Saddlers faithful, Luke Leahy, made the bench.

After both sides laid wreaths and observed a minute’s silence ahead of Remembrance Sunday, the game got underway.

Zak Jules was booked three minutes into the game for pulling back Hanlan, to the dismay of the Walsall management team.

Within five minutes Oztumer should have scored on his old stomping ground. The midfielder was slipped in on the left and from inside the box, with the goal at his mercy, he dragged his effort wide.

Mat Sadler then had an opportunity with a half-volley from a Rory Holden free-kick, but it trickled wide.

Rovers began to build up some pressure and Hanlan went close with a header that was blocked by Cameron Norman. A Sam Nicholson low cross was then begging for a touch as it flashed across the face of goal.

Norman wiped out Oztumer on the half-way line for an obvious foul and possible yellow card but referee Ross Joyce was unmoved.

Just after the half-hour mark Baldwin gave the visitors the lead. A corner was won at the back post by a Bristol man and found Baldwin only a couple yards out, where he finished.

It went from bad to worse for Walsall five minutes later when Hanlan doubled Bristol’s lead. Oztumer found the striker on the edge of the box and he curled a superb effort into the bottom corner.

On the stroke of half-time it looked as if McDonald was tripped in the box but again the referee was unmoved.

In the last action of the half Elijah Adebayo should score. An excellent reverse pass from Holden has the striker in and as he cuts inside his marker he is one-on-one with Anssi Jaakola. The goalkeeper does superbly well to save his effort and send his side to the break with their two-goal lead intact.

The first major moment of the second half fell to Hanlan who drifted into the box and lashed his effort wide, when he should have done better.

Manager Clarke made all three of his substitutes just after an hour as he attempted to get back in the game. Although Rovers were not having much attacking joy, Walsall were struggling to break them down.

Jaakola kept his side’s clean sheet with a brilliant double save, first denying substitute Jake Scrimshaw and then a curled effort from McDonald.

Lavery then hit the post after he latched onto Holden’s perfect ball over the top. As Walsall kept up the pressure, McDonald then had an attempt cleared off the line.

Finally the breakthrough came for Walsall when Lavery headed home from a perfect Holden free-kick.

With six minutes of added time the hosts pushed desperately for a late equaliser and Lavery was inches wide when he again met a Holden cross.

But Walsall just fell short as Rovers hung on and progressed to round two with a 2-1 win.

Teams

Walsall: Roberts, Norman, Scarr, Sadler (Cockerill-Mollett, 58), Jules, Holden, Sinclair (Bates, 58), Kinsella, McDonald, Adebayo (Scrimshaw, 63), Lavery.

Subs not used: Rose, White, Osadebe, George.

Bristol Rovers: Jaakola, Ehmer, Kilgour, Baldwin, Koiki, Nicholson (Hare, 75), Westbrook (Grant, 86), Upson (Liddle, 74), McCormick, Oztumer, Hanlan.

Subs not used: Stappershoef, Leahy, Mitchell-Lawson, Daly.