Walsall cruise to victory over Grimsby

A slick second-half performance from Sadler’s Saddlers ensured that Walsall left Grimsby happy with a 4-1 victory that put them third in the table.

The First half saw Walsall struggle to gain possession, having only 27 per cent of the play. However, this was not reflected in the shot stats, as Walsall had six compared to Grimsby’s four. However, the Mariners were more dominant in attacking goal, with 50 per cent of their shots finding their way on target. The most notable of these chances was a Danny Rose effort that required the work of Tommy Simkin’s gloves as he made cat-like reactions to thwart the effort wide.

The second half was played at a much higher intensity. A breakthrough for the saddlers came when an excellent cross from Connor Barrett found the head of Jamille Matt, who fired the visitors into the lead in the 56th minute. In the 73rd minute, with 17 minutes remaining, Jamie Jellis struck a piece of magic as he received the ball 20 yards out and curled a beautiful strike into the net past former Saddler Jackson Smith. Barrett was the provider again moments later when he put in a cross and gave Nathan Lowe the easiest of finishes on the line. Grimsby got a consolation goal with minutes remaining through Donovan Wilson; however, Walsall ensured they left Blundell Park with three points when Danny Johnson tapped home to make the final score 4-1.