Bolton 2 Walsall 1 - Report

Despite the hosts coming into the fixture in superb form it was the Saddlers that enjoyed a successful first half.

Some resilient defending set the foundation for some forays forward and it was academy product Sam Perry that gave Walsall the lead with a fantastic half-volley from 20 yards.

But the second half saw the visitors capitulate. First, Keiran Lee nodded Bolton level before only minutes later Hayden White was given a straight red card for lashing out at Oladapo Afolayan.

Only six minutes after that, and with 10 minutes of normal time left, Mat Sadler fouled Lee in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Eoin Doyle dispatched the spot-kick to hand his side all three points.

Brian Dutton made one change to his side, starting in a 5-2-3 formation.

Perry returned to the squad and came instantly back into the starting XI, as Stuart Sinclair dropped to the bench.

Jayden Reid lost his place among the substitutes, while Frank Vincent and Jack Nolan were again left out of the squad.

Vincent did travel to the University of Bolton Stadium, however, alongside Tom Leak who also did not make the 18.

Dan Scarr and Rory Holden were still missing with injuries.

Bolton also made one change, sticking with their 4-2-3-1 formation.

Captain Antoni Sarcevic was ruled out with a torn hamstring and replaced in the starting XI by Lloyd Isgrove.

Marcus Maddison came into the team and made the bench. Manager Ian Evatt did not name a goalkeeper among his substitutes.

The hosts had an early shot on target, in the first minute of the game, when Afolayan took aim from range, but goalkeeper Liam Roberts was right behind it.

Then, up the other end of the pitch, a Walsall corner was headed back towards goal by Josh Gordon and Caolan Lavery, unmarked at the far post, just missed the ball with his head as it looped over him.

With the striker eager to run in behind the Bolton defence, Lavery then latched onto a ball from Max Melbourne and went down in the box under a challenge from Ricardo Santos. There were only half-hearted appeals for a penalty and referee Sebastian Stockbridge was unmoved.

Afolayan was the host’s brightest spark early on and he was in the thick of the action. The West Ham loanee almost scored a controversial goal as he raced down the left flank. Cameron Norman stopped and appealed that the ball had crossed the line for a throw-in but with the officials waving play on the winger was able to cut inside and shoot, but his effort was blocked.

As the game passed the 25-minute mark neither side had created a clear-cut chance. The hosts looked comfortable and dangerous but Walsall, who made a steady start to the game, were resolute defensively and kept dangerous striker Doyle quiet.

Wanderers centre-backs Santos and Alex Baptiste were mopping up the Saddlers danger well, but one ball from Norman down the channel almost caught them out. He found Lavery who cut inside and played to Emmnauel Osadebe. He turned onto his left foot but shot straight at Matt Gilks, when a pass to Melbourne was on.

But after 28 minutes Walsall took the lead in remarkable fashion. Perry picked up an innocuous ball on the edge of the box and on his weaker left foot the 19-year-old hit a half-volley into the bottom right corner. It was his first senior goal on only his fourth league start.

Buoyed from taking the lead Lavery came close when he nodded Melbourne’s cross wide.

On the stroke of half-time Afolayan had a free-kick from 20 yards but with the goal at his mercy he smashed his effort into the wall.

Perry’s strike was the difference as the two teams entered the break. Walsall deserved their lead with some determined defending and a few bright opportunities in attack. Bolton looked dangerous in attack but laboured in their approach, as the Saddlers shut them out.

After the Saddlers kept Boltonl waiting by emerging late for the second half, Melbourne then went down with a knock under a challenge from Isgrove, delaying the game for a further couple minutes and frustrating the hosts.

Afolayan continued where he left off in the first half and almost dragged his side level when he cut inside, picked up a loose ball, and curled towards goal from more than 25 yards. His effort flew just over the bar.

Only 10 minutes into the second half and Bolton should have scored. Nathan Delfouneso came deep to pick the ball up and moved it from left to right. Right-back Gethin Jones picked it up and delivered an in-swinging cross for Afolayan who popped up at the near post. The winger headed wide from a matter of yards with the goal gaping.

Aside from an off-target Lavery shot, Walsall were largely stuck to defending as the game passed the hour mark. Roberts was called into action when left-back Declan John shaped to cross but took aim himself and the goalkeeper had to be alert to tip it over his bar.

Again, the hosts should have scored when Santos met a corner from five yards. With Roberts struggling to get through the crowd to claim it the defender had a free header and nodded over.

In the 67th minute Bolton’s pressure finally paid off as they found their equaliser. After Jones’ cross took a touch from a Walsall man, Roberts pulled off a brilliant instinctive save. But the ball then fell kindly to Lee who followed up and headed his side level.

The game quickly spiralled out of control for Walsall as only minutes after the Bolton goal White was given a straight red card. The defender was unhappy with Afolayan and grabbed him by the scruff of his collar. The winger threw himself to the floor holding his face, resulting in White being given his marching orders.

It then went from bad to worse in the 79th minute when Sadler fouled Lee in the box. Doyle stepped up to slot the penalty into the bottom corner and give Bolton the lead.

In added time, with Walsall desperate for an equaliser, Norman went down in the box under a challenge from John but instead of pointing to the spot the referee booked Norman for simulation.

Despite the six minutes of added time Walsall could not find another goal and were condemned to defeat.

Teams

Walsall: Roberts, Norman, White, Sadler (Bates, 88), Clarke, Melbourne, Perry, Kinsella, Osadebe (McDonald, 88), Gordon (Cockerill-Mollett, 77), Lavery (Osei Yaw, 88)

Subs not used: Rose, Sinclair, Wright.

Bolton: Gilks, Jones, Santos, Baptiste, John, Williams, Lee, Delfouneso (Thomason, 92), Isgrove (Elbouzedi, 84), Afolayan (Gnahoua, 84), Doyle (Miller, 90)

Subs not used: Tutte, Brockbank, Maddison.