Crawley Town 1 Walsall 1 - Report

The two sides entered the game in contrasting form, with the hosts aiming for the play-offs and the Saddlers looking over their shoulders at the wrong end of the table.

But throughout the game it was a fairly even contest, with Walsall looking after the ball well but failing to threaten in front of goal.

Ashley Nadesan had a handful of chances for Crawley but was unable to convert.

Only 10 minutes into the second half an Emmanuel Osadebe penalty put Walsall ahead - his first goal for the club.

Walsall looked like seeing the game out but with five seconds of added time left Liam Roberts came to punch away a free-kick and after making contact with the ball he also caught Jordan Tunnicliffe and a penalty was awarded.

Tom Nichols converted it to snatch a point for the hosts.

Dutton made four changes to his side, starting with a 5-2-3 formation.

Cameron Norman, Stuart Sinclair, Caolan Lavery and captain James Clarke all came into the team - with the skipper making his first appearance since January 2 after recovering from a knee injury.

He replaced Dan Scarr who was not involved after picking up an injury on Friday night.

The head coach chose to go with experience as three 19-year-olds all dropped out in Alfie Bates and Tyreik Wright, who made the bench, and Sam Perry who was not included in the squad.

Perry made the trip to West Sussex, alongside Tom Leak, as the 19th and 20th men.

Callum Cockerill-Mollett took Perry’s place in the squad and made the bench, while Frank Vincent and Jack Nolan did not make the team.

John Yems named an unchanged Crawley side following their late 1-0 win last time out, which took them to three consecutive victories in the league.

He started with a 4-4-2 formation and also named an unchanged bench, which only included six players.

Despite their poor form the Saddlers made the better start in the opening 10 minutes, with the lion-share of the possession. Norman was awarded space on the right and looked dangerous early on.

The right-wing-back superbly won the ball off George Francomb, nutmegged another defender, and then overran the ball as he charged into the box. Minutes later he was free in the box again, to the right, and saw a powerful shot blocked.

Nadesan should have scored minutes later when he met Nichols’ cross, but his volley was wide. Then, Clarke produced a brilliant tackle to deny Nadesan as he beared down on goal.

In an even contest, in which Walsall held onto the ball well, it was the hosts that threatened more in front of goal. Roberts kept his side in it when he tipped over a Nadesan header, after the striker met Francomb’s cross.

Jordan Maguire-Drew came close for the Reds with a free header at the back post, which he directed back across goal and wide.

Norman was desperately appealing for a penalty when his shot hit Jake Hessenthaler on the arm in the box. His arms were down and it was from close-range and the officials were unmoved.

The sides entered the break drawing 0-0.

Only three minutes into the second half Walsall almost took the lead in spectacular fashion. Lavery latched onto the ball, falling outside the box, and his acrobatic overhead kick smashed off the crossbar.

Crawley went straight up the other end and almost netted when James Tilley met Jack Powell’s cross with a powerful header, which was caught by Roberts at the far post.

The Saddlers were handed a golden chance to take the lead when Josh Gordon was bundled over by Tunnicliffe in the box, with the referee pointing to the spot.

Osadebe stepped up to take the spot kick after 55 minutes and fired Walsall ahead, scoring his first goal for the club.

An in-swinging Maguire-Drew cross, from the right, almost curled in at the near post after catching the wind but Roberts got across his goal to catch it.

The winger then delivered a low cross for Nichols but the striker could not get the ball out of his feet in the box and Roberts jumped on it.

In the aftermath of the goal and Crawley’s immediate reaction, the Saddlers got through the 75th minute with their lead intact as they again took a foothold in the game. Liam Kinsella and Sinclair in midfield were proving to be useful cover, while Max Melbourne at left-wing-back impressed with his tackling and tenacity to win the ball back.

With the final kick of the game Nichols converted a penalty to deny Walsall all three points, after Roberts was adjudged to have fouled Tunnicliffe.

Teams

Walsall: Roberts, Norman, White, Sadler, Clarke, Melbourne, Sinclair, Kinsella, Osadebe (Bates, 75), Gordon (Wright, 92), Lavery (Osei Yaw, 89).

Subs not used: Rose, Cockerill-Mollett, McDonald, Reid.

Crawley: Morris, Davies (Craig, 45), Tunnicliffe, McNerney, Francomb (Wright, 71), Maguire-Drew (Tsaroulla, 71), Hessenthaler (Rodari, 81), Powell, Hesketh (Tilley, 21), Nadesan, Nichols.

Subs not used: Nelson.