Match Reports

Saddlers Gain Valuable Point But Should have Been All Three

|

After two tough games we have come away with four points and we are happy as Larry but it should have been six from six as a dominant Saddlers display at Scunthorpe warranted all three points!

Dean Keates made one enforced change before kick off as new signing Isaiah Osbourne replaced injured captain Adam Chambers – who we believe is now out of action for two months at least.

It was the Saddlers that started brightly and should have been in front within the opening twenty minutes. First up the improving Luke Leahy whipped in a wonderful ball that found Fitzwater but his volley came back off the post.

The Saddlers  attacked once more moments later, Fitzwaters ball found Devlin and his pinpoint cross landed at Morgan Ferrier at the back post but somehow he hit it wide with the goal at his mercy. On reflection the ball across may have had a bit too much pace on it.

Wave after wave of Saddlers attacks continued to test the Scunthorpe backline and another superb ball by Luke Leahy found Josh Ginnelly but he rifled over from close range.

Scunthorpes first real chance came on the half hour mark as Hunphrys tested Roberts from distance and the young keeper parried it away.

Another superb chip by Luke Leahy (quite a recurring theme here) found Morgan Ferrier again at the far post but his shot was superbly tipped over by the annoying Watson in the Scunthorpe sticks.

You would imagine that our failure in front of goal would haunt us and it did just after half time. The Walsall defence failed to clear a Jordan Clarke ball and it fell at the feet of Lee Novak who rifled it into the bottom corner.

That goal was hard to take but just like last weekend the Saddlers didn’t let it beat them and had a just rewards just after the hour mark as Zeli Ismails pace caused Matty Lund problems and the midfield bought him down. Ismail dispatched the penalty with ease and sent the Saddlers fans wild.

With the game coming to an end the Saddlers had their best chance to take all three points. Leahy and Ginnelly once again teamed up well down the left and the latter produced a superb cross for Andy Cook but somehow the striker hit the bar. The rebound fell to Morgan Ferrier but he didn’t time his acrobatics properly and sent it wide with the goal gaping.

The Saddlers held onto a very good point away from home but with all our chances spurned it should have been all three. However we can take the positives into Gillingham knowing we have four ‘easier’ games now and can start to stamp our authority on the rest of League 1.

I think we can put the last two sorry years behind us and start looking up rather than down.

Share this article