Morecambe 2 Walsall 1 - Report
Walsall started the Mat Sadler era with a 2-1 defeat against Morecambe at the Mazuma Stadium.
Adam Mayor opened the scoring for the hosts with a tidy finish into the far bottom corner in the 24th minute.
Danny Johnson equalised for the Saddlers after latching onto Ryan Stirk's ball and slotting his finish beyond Stuart Moore.
The Shrimps snatched it at the death when Farrend Rawson scrambled the ball past Evans after the ball had struck the woodwork.
Bring me sunshine rang around the Mazuma before kick-off but there was no sign of blue skies for the 1,300 Walsall supporters who made the trip to Lancashire.
Morecambe boasted the early momentum and posed a dangerous threat on the counter-attack. Nevertheless, Aramide Oteh had the first chance when he nodded Chris Hussey's whipped delivery over.
The attacking trio of JJ McKiernan, Adam Mayor and Tom Bloxham combined effectively for the hosts. And it was from that combination that the Shrimps took the lead.
Bloxham flicked a pass inside for McKiernan, who turned and fed Mayor at the back post. The teenager then kept his composure to find the bottom corner from a narrow angle.
Walsall equalised against the run of play when Johnson marked his second Saddlers debut with a goal. Stirk was fouled on the left touchline but managed to launch the ball in behind the Morecambe defence.
Johnson outfoxed his marker and dispatched his finish beyond the onrushing Moore in the 38th minute. The Saddlers finished the first half the stronger side, but Donervon Daniels could only send his volley from a narrow angle across the face of goal.
Liam Gordon blazed an opportunity wide of the near post early in the second half, while Douglas James-Taylor headed Joe Riley's cross over just moments after coming on.
Johnson came to within a lick of paint away from grabbing all three points for Walsall when he was denied by the post. Harry Williams' pass deflected into his path but Johnson's low strike cannoned off the inside of the post.
Rawson popped up with the decider in the second of eight minutes of additional time at the end of the second half. A free-kick was whipped in from the left, and Evans managed to hoist the ball onto the upright after a scramble inside the box.
The loose ball presented itself for Rawson who prodded the ball home for Morecambe at the death.
TEAMS
Morecambe Starting XI: S Moore; D Love (c), J Bedeau, F Rawson, J Senior; Y Songo'o, E King; T Bloxham (Slew 90), J McKiernan (Davenport 90), A Mayor; M Mellon (Smith 90).
Subs: A Smith, C Stokes, C Brown, M Melbourne.
Walsall Starting XI (3-4-1-2): O Evans; H Williams, D Daniels, C Hussey; J Riley, R Stirk (J Matt 90), O McEntee, L Gordon; I Hutchinson; D Johnson, A Oteh (D James-Taylor 67).
Subs: J Smith, J Foulkes, B Comley, T Allen, R Tierney.
