Walsall 3 Harrogate Town 1 - Report

The Saddlers were in ruthless and dominant fashion and took a deserved lead through Danny Johnson from the penalty spot.

The chances kept coming and Liam Gordon found the roof of the net with a wonderful effort to make it 2-0, before Isaac Hutchinson rounded off an excellent team move to make it 3-0 before half-time.

Harrogate started the second half better and actually got into Walsall’s box, despite doing very little with it, but the Saddlers recovered and found their feet again.

Several good chances came and went without the ball crashing into the net for a fourth time, before Harrogate finally struck late on through Matty Daly.

Despite that brief setback, the home fans left the Bescot happy with a well-deserved victory.

Michael Flynn made three changes to his Walsall side, who started in a 5-2-1-2 formation.

Peter Clarke and Douglas James-Taylor dropped to the bench, while Brandon Comley was suspended, meaning Gordon, Jacob Maddox and Tom Knowles came in.

Simon Weaver made one change to his Harrogate side, who started in a 4-4-2 formation.

Miles Welch-Hayes came in for Joe Mattock in defence.

The Saddlers made a quick and aggressive start to the game and could have scored within two minutes. A Liam Bennett cross found Liam Gordon at the far post and his first-time effort flew across the face of goal.

Moments later, Bennett fired in a low cross that found Johnson. The striker turned and look to shoot, but a Harrogate defender got a foot in. Walsall were calling for a penalty, but referee Robert Lewis was unmoved.

Bennett had made a superb start to the game and a powerful low shot was tipped around the post by Pete Jameson.

From the resulting corner, Walsall took the lead. The ball found Liam Kinsella near the byline and he was chopped down by Rory McArdle for a penalty, which Johnson fired into the roof of the net.

Walsall continued their excellent start to the game shortly after, as a wonderful team move saw them go 2-0 up. Finding a way out of defence and into midfield in tight spaces, in a move that included several players, Hutchinson eventually switched play to Gordon on the left flank and he raced into the box before smashing the ball into the top corner.

The hosts were all over Harrogate and should have scored a third. Another superb team move saw the ball find Johnson from five yards out, but his powerful effort was met by a world class save from Jameson.

The only thing Walsall needed, and deserved, was a third and they found it after 34 minutes. Johnson’s excellent hold-up play resulted in Maddox being found down the right and his low cross found Hutchinson, who finished low from close range.

Late on in the half, a Saddlers corner caused carnage and McArdle headed onto his own crossbar, as Walsall came close to a fourth goal.

Walsall were well worth their 3-0 lead as they entered the half-time break with a dominant advantage.

Harrogate did make a slightly brighter start to the second half and managed to fashion a chance, but goalkeeper Owen Evans was equal to substitute Josh Coley’s shot.

At the other end, an audacious volley from Bennett crashed over the bar.

The Saddlers picked up after a slower start to the half and began dominating once more. They were spraying gorgeous passes out to both flanks and Gordon could have secured another penalty under a challenge in the box, but he tried to play on and get a cross in and the referee did not pull the game back.

A Warren Burrell block on the line denied Hayden White from securing Walsall’s fourth goal, as the hosts kept pressing.

Substitute Taylor Allen almost got the fourth in remarkable fashion with a cracking shot from distance that flew just beyond the post.

In the 82nd minute Harrogate finally struck as Daly gave them some hope with a finish from close range.

There was a brief moment when Harrogate looked as if they might make it a nervy ending for Walsall, but the hosts managed the game well to limit their chances and run the clock down.

In the end, they secured a deserved victory in front of their home fans, ending a winless run that had stretched to three games before kick-off.

Walsall: Evans, Bennett, White, Daniels (Clarke, 92), Monthe, Gordon (Allen, 71), Kinsella, Hutchinson, Maddox (Cashman, 77), Johnson (Williams, 71), Knowles (James-Taylor, 77)

Subs not used: Maher, Abraham.

Harrogate: Jameson, Ramsay, McArdle, Welch-Hayes (Coley, 45), Headley (Richards, 77), Pattison, Burrell, Falkingham, Grant (Folarin, 66), Daly, Armstrong.

Subs not used: Oxley, Frost, Ferguson, Horbury.