Analysis: Gap too big as valiant Walsall bow out of FA Cup
The difference in quality between both teams was clear for all to see, as Southampton condemned Walsall to a 4-0 defeat in the FA Cup third round at St Mary’s.
Southampton extended their unbeaten run to 19 games in all competitions, and were heavy favourites with them sitting 56 places above the Saddlers in the footballing ladder.
Walsall could only fill six of the nine allocated substitute slots, with academy forward Charlie Wragg and new loan signing Emmanuel Adegboyega both on the bench.
The Saddlers had been in fine form themselves with six wins from seven in all competitions, including a 6-1 thrashing of Grimsby Town on New Year’s Day.
But the toll, both mentally and physically, of playing four games in 10 days over Christmas clearly made the task at hand harder.
It felt as if it was going to be a long afternoon when Ryan Fraser chested down Taylor Harwood- Bellis’ diagonal ball and tucked a tidy finish into the far bottom corner on six minutes.
And it probably would have been had Sekou Mara found the target when he stabbed over from point-blank range moments later.
However, Mat Sadler made a smart switch to a back-four after 15 minutes, and Walsall kept an organised shape, and produced a disciplined performance to temper the storm that Southampton were trying to unleash.
