Walsall 0 Southend 1 - Report

Despite the visitors winless in League Two and rooted at the bottom of the table, they had the better chances in the first half as Brandon Goodship should have scored with a one-on-one chance in the opening two minutes.

It was a frustrating showing for Walsall who huffed and puffed throughout, despite slightly improving in the second half.

Elijah Adebayo had the chance his team were desperate for in the 82nd minute, with a penalty, but the striker smashed the crossbar with his effort.

As Walsall pushed for a late winner the visitors went up the other end and Emile Acquah turned to squeeze home a shot into the bottom corner.

The game ended 1-0 and handed Southend their first win of the season.

Darrell Clarke made seven changes to the side that lost to Oxford United in the EFL Trophy in mid-week, starting in a 4-4-2 formation.

Following a break on Tuesday night, Liam Roberts, Cameron Norman, Zak Jules, Rory Holden, Liam Kinsella, Wes McDonald and Adebayo all returned to the fold.

Emmanuel Osadaebe, who signed for Southend but was unable to register due to a transfer embargo and later joined Walsall, was on the Saddlers bench.

Josh Gordon, James Clarke and George Nurse are still missing with injuries.

Mark Molesley made six changes to his side, as former Walsall man Jason Demetriou started, making his 150th appearance for Southend.

They only named five substitutes.

In the opening two minutes, the visitors should have scored. Goodship was clean through on goal and only a brilliant Roberts save denied him. Caolan Lavery instantly went up the other end and came close himself.

In an action-packed first couple minutes Adebayo took a nasty knock to his head and looked to be in some discomfort, but the towering striker powered through and stayed on the field.

A long goal-kick from Mark Oxley caught the wind and almost flew over Roberts, before Oxley then denied Alfie Bates with a strong save.

Roberts was again called into action when his double save denied Timothee Dieng at the near post.

A quiet end to the half came to a head with four minutes of added time in which the teams could not be separated.

As the second half got underway the Saddlers changed to a 4-2-3-1 formation as Lavery moved to the right of midfield and Holden played behind the striker.

Walsall dominated the ball in the opening 15 minutes of the second half but failed to create anything meaningful. McDonald was released down the wing by a superb Holden pass but his cross evaded everyone as the hosts seemed frustrated.

Bates then directed a shot just wide of the post following a counter-attack.

With Walsall still pushing for a breakthrough, Osadebe was introduced for Kinsella, allowing Holden to drop deeper into midfield alongside Bates.

Goodship’s curled effort from the edge of the box was palmed away by Roberts.

The Sadders had a golden opportunity in the 82nd minute when Norman was tripped by Tom Clifford and the referee pointed to the spot. Adebayo stepped up and smashed the penalty off the crossbar.

Osadebe had a strong shot saved as the minutes ticked by.

Walsall should have scored when Dan Scarr’s header was saved on the line before Jake Scrimshaw’s follow up was scrambled away.

Substitute Acquah then became the Southend hero when he squeezed his effort into the bottom corner from the edge of the box, while on the turn.

In the dying minutes of the game Bates was sent off for a second bookable defence and as Walsall could not find a way back into the game, they were condemned to defeat.

Teams

Walsall: Roberts, Norman, Scarr, Jules, Cockerill-Mollett (Sadler, 69), Holden, Kinsella, Bates, McDonald, Adebayo, Lavery (Scrimshaw, 64).

Subs not used: Rose, White, Sinclair, Guthrie, Osadebe.

Southend: Oxley, Hobson, White (Acquah, 64), Lennon, Clifford, Egbri (Sterling, 89), Olayinka, Demetriou, Dieng, Nathaniel-George, Goodship.

Subs not used: Seaden, Phillips, Rush.