Walsall vs Aston Villa

Mix of youth and experience do the job for Aston Villa VS Walsall

Today the 9th of July Walsall faced off against Aston Villa in there annual pre season friendly face off where both supporters got to see there new signings for the 1st time and the saddlers got to see Michael Flynns new look saddlers.

The game was very much played at a preseason pace until the deadlock was broken 7 minutes in when a header by Anwar El Ghazi fell to Jamaican international Leon Bailey who comfortably side-footed high into the net to give the villains a 1-0 lead.

Walsall looked to immediately respond but were denied when Isaac Hutchinson’s shot just outside the box was blocked by Diego Carlos.

Another chance went begging for the saddlers when Douglas James-Taylor met a corner on the volley only for it to sail over the bar.

14 minutes in Bertrand Traore went close when his long range shot had to be palmed clear by Owen Evans in the home goal.

Evans had to be alert again 3 minutes later when traure’s long shot stung his gloves.

Another chance went begging for Villa when El ghazi’s free kick glanced the wall and went over.

The game slowed in pace towards the end of the half the only chance being a Hutchinson long ranger that was easily collected by Viljami Sinisalo.

The lead for Aston Villa was doubled in the 38th minute when homegrown talent Cameron Archer found himself 1 on 1 with Evans and all he had to do was comfortably slot into the bottom corner to make the half time score 2-0 to the visitors.

Gerard’s villains almost made the perfect start to the second half only for Danny Ings to lack the finishing touch and lash over the bar.

Villa knocked on the door again when Ollie Watkins was unleashed in the box only for Adam Pryzbek to claim his close range shot.

The saddlers also came close when Joe Riley took a long range shot at the centre of goal only for Sinisalo to be perfectly positioned to gulp up the shot.

Villa got there 3rd in the 54th minute when the ball found its way to Ollie Watkins who confidently side footed home.

Another chance went begging for Walsall when a trialist ran clear only to be denied at the last moment by a last ditch slide tackle by Tommi O’Reilly.

A 4th goal was scored when Brazilian Douglas Luiz swung in a corner that landed directly into the net via the palms of Pryzbek behind the sticks for Walsall.

Villa thought they had a 5th in the 72nd minute only for Danny Ings to have been deemed to foul the keeper while heading into a open net.

The 5th almost came when the ball was crossed to Josh Feeney only for him to balloon his chance over the bar.

The saddlers almost had a consolation goal only for Rohan Maher to shoot narrowly wide. From the corner Maher received the ball and arrowed a shot towards goal that was palmed wide by Sinisalo.

The game drew to a close with Aston Villa emerging victorious as 4-0 winners.