Colchester 1 Walsall 1 - Report

Taylor Allen swept a tidy finish into the bottom corner to give Walsall a 37th-minute lead but Cameron McGeehan found the leveller just three minutes after the break.

Jackson Smith denied Noah Chilvers from the spot moments later and Ross Tierney was denied a winner by Goodman in the closing stages.

The Saddlers failed to climb above seventh-place Wimbledon, who lost 2-0 at home to Newport County, as they extended their winless run to three games, although they did reduce the gap to one-point while boasting a game in hand.

David Okagbue was restored to the heart of defence upon his return from suspension at the expense of Rollin Menayese, who dropped to the bench in Walsall's only alteration.

Opponents Colchester made four changes with Jay Mengi slotting into the right of a back-three and Jayden Fevrier starting at left wing-back, while Brad Ihionvien and John Akinde partnered each other up front.

Jack Earing had the first sight of goal when Mo Faal spun his marker and flashed a ball into the box which was only partially cleared by Colchester. Liam Gordon kept the attack alive by feeding Earing into the box but his effort from a tight angle sailed over the crossbar.

Arthur Read's corner deliveries posed problems for Walsall and McGeehan came close for the hosts when his downward header bounced over the crossbar via a Walsall deflection.

Allen had a pair of chances when he forced Crystal Palace loanee Goodman to palm his effort behind after receiving from Faal on the overlap, before he blazed the resulting corner over the crossbar after Josh Gordon's header was blocked.

But Allen made it third time lucky when he opened the scoring eight minutes before the break. Liam Gordon tucked inside to find him and Allen swept a delightful low finish into Goodman's left-hand bottom corner from just outside the box.

Smith pulled off an excellent save to preserve Walsall's lead on the cusp of half-time when he got down low to get a vital left glove to McGeehan's first-time finish after Fevrier's promising run down the left.

Walsall made the worst possible start to the second half when McGeehan equalised for Colchester within three minutes of the restart. Ihionvien raced down the left and to the by-line where his low cutback was only partially cleared by Liam Gordon as McGeehan slipped a first-time finish beyond the reach of Smith.

Things almost went from bad to worse when Walsall conceded their fourth penalty in five games after Harry Anderson went down under a challenge from Earing during an eventful start to the second half, but Smith consolidated his earlier save by plunging to his left hand side to palm Chilvers' spot-kick behind.

Allen rifled another shot straight at Goodman but Walsall lacked creativity as Mat Sadler responded with the additions of Ross Tierney and Douglas James-Taylor as Isaac Hutchinson and a fatigued Faal made way.

Tierney had a glorious chance when he was sent one-on-one with Goodman but the Colchester shot-stopper foiled him. At the other end, substitute Tom Hopper cushioned down a long ball for Ihionvien but his tame effort was straight at Smith.

Next, Walsall will have a 13-day break before they travel to fellow League Two play-off rivals MK Dons on Good Friday.

Walsall (3-1-4-2): Smith; Adegboyega, Okagbue, Allen; Comley; Foulkes, Hutchinson (Tierney 74), Earing, L Gordon; J Gordon, Faal (James-Taylor 74).

Not used: Evans, Riley, Stirk, Menayese, Johnson.

Colchester (3-4-1-2): Goodman; Mengi, Dallison, Hall; Anderson (Edwards 75); Chilvers (Smith 69), Read, McGeehan, Fevrier; Akinde (Hopper 68), Ihionvien.

Not used: Hornby, Jay, Richardson, Wilkinson.