Walsall 2 Tranmere Rovers 0: Rovers feeling saddle sore

Mar 13 2013 David Triggs

THE form which has propelled Walsall up the League One in recent weeks was too much for Tranmere Rovers last night as Ronnie Moore’s lacklustre side fell to defeat at a frosty Banks’s Stadium.

The Saddlers, beaten only once since the turn of the year, are threatening to gatecrash the race for the play-offs while Moore’s men are doing their best to stay in the promotion picture despite suffering a succession of injury setbacks.

There could be few complaints over the outcome of last night’s clash, with Walsall looking the better side before they were handed a big breakthrough early in the second half in the form of a debatable penalty.

Danny Holmes’ foul on Saddlers winger Fabian Brandy as he charged through on goal in the 50th minute was right on the very edge of the area. Some referees might have awarded a free kick, but Graham Salisbury pointed to the spot – sparking protests from the visiting side, and Holmes in particular.

Will Grigg dispatched the resulting spot kick and Craig Westcarr added a second soon after to put the hosts firmly in command and to kill off any hopes Tranmere had of a fightback.

The first half had ended goalless, but both sides were committed to playing attacking football, with Rovers looking dangerous down both flanks through Abdulai Bell-Baggie and Michael O’Halloran, who was passed fit to play despite limping out of Saturday’s match against Oldham with an injury.

Home keeper Aaron McCarey was the first of the two stoppers to warm his gloves on a chilly evening. He got down well to hold a shot from Mamady Sidibe – passed fit to play after recovering from a hamstring problem – after the on-loan Stoke City forward linked up well with strike partner Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro.

The Saddlers then began to find their rhythm. The lively Jamie Paterson had the beating of Owain Fon Williams after five minutes. He escaped his marker from a free kick and slid the ball past Tranmere’s Welsh keeper, but centre-back Ash Taylor was stationed on the goal-line and cleared the ball to safety.

On 10 minutes, some neat footwork by Paterson on the right flank saw him chip a cross in for Walsall skipper Andy Butler, whose downward header was held by Fon Williams.

Both sides continued to press and probe, doing as well as they could to play good football on a hard pitch left battered and scarred by a heavy winter.

Fon Williams showed excellent reflexes to deny Paterson on 28 minutes, diving to his left to palm away a volley from the Saddlers’ danger man. The Rovers keeper was left rooted to the spot soon after when Sam Mantom seized control of a loose ball 20 yards from goal and unleashed a right-footed effort. But the former Tranmere loanee saw his shot bounce back off Fon Williams’ right-hand post.

Bell-Baggie had Tranmere’s first chance of the second half. After Akpa Akpro crossed from the right, Bell-Baggie took two shots at the Walsall goal – both well blocked by James Chambers.

Then came the game’s big moment of controversy. After Brandy ripped a hole through the middle of the Rovers defence, leaving Ian Goodison and Taylor in his wake, full-back Holmes moved across and slid in to tackle the former Manchester United man. Brandy tumbled under Holmes’ challenge on the edge of the box – but referee Salisbury deemed that the offence had taken place inside the area and pointed to the penalty spot.

Striker Grigg showed his customary calmness from 12 yards, scoring his eighth penalty from eight attempts this season.

The Saddlers doubled their advantage six minutes later in spectacular fashion. Striker Westcarr latched on to a loose ball 25 yards from goal and beat Fon Williams with a dipping volley which flew across the keeper and into the far corner.

A comeback proved to be beyond Rovers’ injury-hit squad. Walsall finished strongly, and Fon Williams had to make a fine double save to thwart Andy Taylor and Grigg..

Walsall: McCarey, J Chambers, Butler, Downing, Taylor, Brandy (Featherstone 83), Mantom, A Chambers, Paterson, Westcarr, Grigg. Subs: Holden, Hemmings, Purkiss, Bowerman, Baxendale, Roberts. Goal: Grigg (pen) 51, Westcarr 57. Booked: Westcarr, Brandy.

Tranmere: Fon Williams, Holmes, Goodison (Daniels 57), Taylor, Bakayogo, O’Halloran (Stockton 64), Power, Palmer, Bell-Baggie (Amoo 81), Akpa Akpro, Sidibe. Subs: Black, Harrison, Corry, Mooney. Booked: Power.

Attendance: 3,775.

Referee: Graham Salisbury (Lancashire)