Walsall 0 Birmingham 1: Saddlers narrowly beaten in pre-season outing
Walsall were edged out by Alfie May’s second-half goal for Birmingham City, but will take confidence from their latest pre-season display.
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The Saddlers were narrowly beaten by their League One opponents from down the road before their new campaign begins in a fortnight.
Mat Sadler named a stronger Walsall side than previously seen during pre-season as several senior players returned to the team sheet.
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Liam Gordon and David Okagbue were two of many featuring in the starting line-up that included front-man Josh Gordon, loanee goalkeeper Tommy Simkin, and Jamie Jellis who has impressed Walsall fans so far this pre-season campaign.
Meanwhile, Blues brought a split squad to Bescot, as a side also travelled to Aldershot Town in a double-header afternoon for the club. However, their starting line-up against the Saddlers was full-strength.
Birmingham have spent more than £10 million this summer, and their quality was evident from the offset - in control of possession.
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But, Walsall successfully defended early Blues chances before racing to the other end and creating their most noticeable opportunity of the first-half inside four minutes. Josh Gordon’s low cross found Charlie Lakin who was denied brilliantly by Bailey Peacock-Farrell’s double save.
Walsall showed flair and continued to move the ball quickly. Jellis fired just wide with his ambitious, but well-struck volley after 13-minutes.
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Meanwhile, defensively, the home side continued their excellent start, and Ethan Laird headed wide for Blues approaching the 25-minute.
After a quiet period and what had been a great first-half for the Saddlers, a mistake and misjudged header from Connor Barrett was nearly punished, but Alfie May’s off-target lob spared the defender approaching half-time.
And, minutes later the Walsall man made amends for himself as he shot narrowly wide with the last action of the half.
Backed by nearly 2000 fans, Blues began the second-half on the front foot as Siriki Dembele was denied by the post with an open-goal in front of him after rounding goalkeeper Simkin.
A let off for Walsall - it should have been the opener for the away side, and they were nearly punished by the Saddlers when Jellis and Ryan Stirk both saw efforts saved.
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But, Birmingham did find their opener just after the hour mark, as Jordan James rushed forward and crossed from the right for Alfie May to turn home at close-range.
The striker nearly grabbed a second minutes later, but May’s shot from outside the box struck the post. A triple change for Walsall then followed and substitute Evan Weir headed wide.
Park Seung-Ho and Wilhum Willumsson were also both off-target with their efforts for Birmingham inside the final ten-minutes, likewise to Walsall’s trialist with his curling effort.
The Saddlers’ will return to Bescot in two weeks for their opening League Two match of the season against Morecambe.
Line-ups
Walsall: Simkin, Barrett, L Gordon (Weir, 70), McEntee (Farquharson, 70), Lakin (Wragg, 88), J Gordon (Trialist, 70), Maher (Thomas, 88), Allen, Jellis, Stirk, Okagbue.
Subs not used: Hornby, Williams.
Birmingham City: Peacock-Farrell, Laird (Khela, 77), Sanderson, Bielek, Dembele, Miyoshi, Seung-Ho, Cochrane, James, May (Bateman, 88), Willumsson.
Subs not used: Mayo, Home.
Referee: Lewis Smith
Attendance: 4,334 (1,850 away)