Salford City 2-1 Walsall - Report
Walsall's unbeaten run came to an end as some slack defending saw them give up the lead and lose 2-1 at play-off chasers Salford City.
The Saddlers were backed by a boisterous travelling support, and Michael Flynn's men took the lead in the sunshine at Moor Lane.
Rollin Menayese – brought on after Donervon Daniels' early injury – got himself in the right place at the right time to open his account for the club.
Salford, though, were level before the break as Matt Smith slotted in from around six yards, and they completed the comeback in the second half.
Liam Kinsella gave away a penalty as he handled the ball inside the box, with Ryan Watson converting from 12 yards.
Walsall, who had gone six without defeat, drop a couple of places to 16th in League Two, with the tendency to give away cheap goals still costing them points.
The Saddlers' next test sees them return to the Banks's Stadium as they host Leyton Orient next weekend.
Report
Walsall made two changes from their 1-1 draw at Harrogate Town. Jack Rose, with Carl Rushworth on England Under-21 duty, made his first start under Flynn between the sticks.
Devante Rodney – who played for Salford between 2018 and 2020 – made his first start for the Saddlers, too, replacing 11-goal top scorer George Miller.
Lee Tomlin was back among the substitutes after his bout of Covid, while there was no back-up goalkeeper on the bench.
Salford, meanwhile, brought in shot-stopper Frankie Fielding, having signed him on an emergency loan after Tom King's Wales call-up.
Walsall, interestingly, lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation – rather than their usual 3-5-2 – and were forced into a switch just five minutes in.
Daniels went down off the ball before limping off in obvious discomfort, and Menayese came in at centre-half.
In fairness to the Saddlers, that early change did not knock them off their stride.
The clash did have a pre-season feel to it for a good 20 minutes or so as neither team passed it around with great vigour or created a clear-cut opportunity.
Walsall, though, would open the scoring just past the half-hour mark.
Rodney – doing a decent job of leading the line as the lone striker – went down in a heap after a challenge from Jordan Turnbull.
Referee Anthony Backhouse awarded a free-kick after consulting his assistant, while also showing Turnbull a yellow, and a clever set-piece routine undid the hosts.
Jack Earing's floated delivery to the far post was headed back across goal by Manny Monthe, and defensive partner Menayese was the quickest to react.
The centre-half scuffed the shot with his left foot, but it still had the placement and just enough power to beat Fielding – the ball trickling into the bottom corner.
From there, the Saddlers looked pretty comfortable and seemed set to go into half-time ahead.
However, in similar fashion to the last-gasp leveller at Harrogate, Flynn's charges were punished for switching off at the back.
Turnbull's knock-down was latched onto by the unmarked Smith, with the experienced target man having the simple task of poking past Rose from point-blank range.
Flynn, without doubt, would have been deeply frustrated with both the nature of that equaliser and the timing of it. It was a soft one.
Walsall almost got themselves back ahead shortly after the restart.
An Earing corner was kept alive by Menayese at the far post and the ball fell to Monthe, whose deft back-heel was cleared off the line.
Skipper Joss Labadie then put Rodney through, but having hesitated slightly, his attempt was blocked by the covering Stephen Kelly.
An ambitious long-range effort from Tyrese Shade also whistled across the face of goal.
The Saddlers went on to rue the lack of a killer touch in those instances.
Salford gave them a warning as Brandon Thomas-Asante's cut-back was steered agonisingly wide by Matthew Lund. The Ammies smelt blood and ultimately got themselves in front via the penalty spot.
Ash Hunter cut inside from the left flank and tried to get a cross in. Kinsella, who had fallen to the ground, spread himself to stop it and was deemed to have handled the ball.
Watson coolly did the rest – despite Rose making him wait to take the spot-kick.
Walsall brought on Tomlin for the closing stages while Miller had taken Rodney's place up front, but a late reply proved elusive – a penalty shout as Miller was sent tumbling in added time being ignored.
The Saddlers' hot streak is over thanks to a couple of defensive lapses and Flynn will be eager to tighten up on that front.
Teams
Salford (4-3-3): Fielding; Lowe (c), Vassell, Turnbull, Ndaba; Watson, Lund, Kelly (Love, 80); Thomas-Asante, Smith, Hunter (Bolton, 80)
Subs not used: Torrance (gk), Willock, Golden, Berkoe, Loughlan
Goals: Smith (44), Watson (pen 66)
Walsall (4-2-3-1): Rose; White, Daniels (Menayese, 5), Monthe, Shade; Kinsella, Earing (Tomlin, 75); Wilkinson, Labadie (c), Osadebe; Rodney (Miller, 64)
Subs not used: Leak, Ward, Perry, Kiernan
Goal: Menayese (34)
Attendance: 2,584 (864 Walsall fans)
Referee: Anthony Backhouse
