Walsall 3-1 Town - First Half goals send Town to defeat at Walsall

First half goals from Danny Johnson, Liam Gordon and Isaac Hutchinson ensured Town suffered defeat away at Walsall.

Matty Daly did manage to get Town on the scoresheet as he converted Sam Folarin's low cross in the 83rd minute, but it proved too little too late to take anything from the game.

Simon Weaver had made one change from Saturday's draw with Tranmere as Miles Welch-Hayes replaced the injured Joe Mattock, with George Horbury and Lewis Richards returning to the bench.

Walsall made a bright start to the contest and were awarded a penalty in the 13th minute when Rory McArdle was adjudged to have fouled Liam Kinsella in the aftermath of a home corner.

Johnson stepped up and send his spot kick into the top corner in front of the travelling Town fans to give his side the lead inside the opening quarter of an hour.

Walsall added a second four minutes later after working the ball to left wing back Gordon, who unleashed an unstoppable left footed effort past Jameson.

Town's stopper prevented it being three soon after, keeping out Johnson's close range finish with the striker looking destined to claim his second of the night.

It was all one way traffic at the Poundland Bescot Stadium and Hutchinson soon made it three for the hosts after tucking away Jacob Maddox's delivery in the 34th minute to round off the first half's scoring.

Weaver replaced Welch-Hayes with Josh Coley at the break, but it did little to stop the flow of Walsall attacks with Jameson needed to deny Gordon ten minutes after the restart.

Daly nearly picked out the half time sub after a jinking run before Alex Pattison saw his reactive attempt land wide of the post as Town searched for a lifeline.

A glimmer of hope would arrive in the 83rd minute for Town as Daly pulled a goal back, finding substitute Sam Folarin who was able to keep the ball in play and return the ball to Daly to score, though it was too late in the night for Town to rescue anything from the game.

Town: Jameson, Welch-Hayes (Coley 45), Falkingham, Burrell, Grant (Folarin 66), Headley (Richards 78), Pattison, Ramsay, McArdle, Daly, Armstrong

Subs not used: Oxley, Frost, Ferguson, Horbury

Goals: Daly 83

Booked: McArdle, Headley, Richards

Walsall: Evans, White, Gordon (Allen 71), Daniels (Clarke 90+), Monthe, Kinsella, Knowles (James-Taylor 77), Maddox (Cashman 77), Hutchinson, Bennett, Johnson (Williams 71)

Subs not used: Maher, Abraham

Goals: Johnson 14(p), Gordon 18, Hutchinson 34

Referee: Robert Lewis

Attendance: 4,347 (62 away)