Shrewsbury Town 0 Walsall 0 - Report and pictures

A 0-0 draw at Shrewsbury ensured the Saddlers fell through League One’s trap door on the final day of the 2018/19 campaign.

Walsall headed to the Montgomery Waters Meadow Stadium knowing they had to win and hope two of three results elsewhere went in their favour if they were to survive.

But despite a spirited second-half performance, they were unable to claim the victory they needed.

In the end though it did not matter with Southend’s win over Sunderland, Wimbledon’s draw against Bradford and Plymouth’s victory over Scunthorpe meaning the Saddlers would have dropped no matter the result in Shropshire.

Analysis

Before kick-off, interim boss Martin O’Connor unsurprisingly kept faith with the team that convincingly overcame Peterborough when naming his starting line-up.

It meant the Saddlers continued in a 3-5-2 formation with Nicky Devlin and Luke Leahy the wing-backs and Andy Cook partnering Josh Gordon in attack.

Shrewsbury, under the guidance of Sam Ricketts, also started in a 3-5-2 system with Tyrese Campbell and Fejiri Okanabirhie the front two.

In what proved a tentative opening 20 minutes, both teams struggled to move the ball with any real purpose.

Gradually though it was Shrewsbury who started to take control with the hosts coming a whisker away from taking the lead as the half approached its midway point.

After Ollie Norburn whipped in a dangerous corner, James Bolton sent a glancing header towards the bottom corner.

But Walsall had George Dobson on the post and he kept his cool to hack the ball clear.

The Saddlers just weren’t moving the ball with any zip or tempo with the pressure of the occasion perhaps weighing on the shoulders of the players.

But while Ricketts’ side were the brighter of the teams, they too were struggling to create with a Greg Docherty strike from 20-yards - which was comfortably saved by Chris Dunn - their only meaningful effort on goal.

Walsall rallied as the half-time whistle approached by forcing a succession of corners.

But with scores elsewhere going against them, they made their way off at the break with relegation looking likely.

There was a big improvement from O’Connor’s men following the re-start.

Cook tricked his way past one man and then another before the ball was poked away by Mat Sadler just as he was about to pull the trigger.

Then from the resultant corner, the ball was only cleared as far as Joe Edwards who sent a fizzing volley wide from 20-yards.

The tempo of Walsall’s play had changed completely with Edwards then darting at goal only to see a curling low strike parried away by Jonathan Mitchell.

And the Saddlers created another excellent opening just past the hour mark when - from a Luke Leahy corner - the ball fell for Scott Laird but his shot was blocked.

Shrewsbury responded with Bolton heading wide from a corner. Cambell then worked himself some space in the box before seeing a strike beaten away by Dunn.

In desperate need of a goal, O’Connor switched Aramide Oteh for Edwards with a little over 10 minutes remaining.

Walsall had a huge chance to win it in the closing stages when Dobson did brilliantly to play Devlin through on the goal.

But the Scotsman then saw a low drive saved by the legs of Mitchell.

Walsall went on to throw bodies forward in the closing stages but with huge gaps at the back it was Shrewsbury who looked the more likely to score on the counter.

And they almost won it when Laurent saw a curling strike from 12-yards brilliantly tipped away by Dunn.

Teams

Shrewsbury: Mitchell; Williams, Beckles, Golbourne, Docherty, Okenabirhie (Laurent 65), Bolton, Waterfall (Sadler 46), Noburn, Grant (Vincelot 86), Campbell.

Subs not used: Charles-Cook, Gilliead, Barnett, Payne

Walsall (3-5-2): Dunn, Johnson, Scarr, Laird, Devlin, Leahy, Dobson, Edwards (Oteh 78), Kinsella (Osbourne 83) , Cook, Gordon.

Subs not used: Roberts, Guthre, Fitzwater, Norman, Ismail.

Referee: Seb Stockbridge (Tyne & Wear)