Stockport handed Walsall a first loss in 10 games as Kyle Wootton’s brace earned the Hatters a 2-0 win in a battle of in-form League Two sides.
County were the better side throughout and Will Collar threatened twice early on, but Walsall goalkeeper Owen Evans made two flying saves to foil his staring header and ferocious 25 yards.
The visitors led in the 33rd minute as Wootton took advantage of Walsall’s freedom from the box to control Akil Wright’s cross and side foot past Evans.
Stockport almost added a second when Paddy Madden’s header hit the bar and Evans collected the rebound as the ball looked set to drop.
Walsall could have equalized after the break as Ben Hinchliffe dumped Tom Knowles’ shot but the visitor keeper reacted well to block Danny Johnson’s follow-up.
Phil Bardsley flew inches wide for County before Evans got a crucial glove on the ball to stop Wootton rounding it for a tap-in.
However, Wootton sealed the County’s seventh win in nine league games in 65 minutes with a classy header from Collar’s cross.
Match report provided by PA Media.
Alignments
Wallsall
Training 3-4-1-2
1Evans
2White5daniels6Monthe
30Bennet8Kinsella17Ear3Gordon
23Hutchinson
tenKnowles39Johnson
- 1Evans
- 2WhiteBooked at 89 mins
- 5daniels
- 6Monthe
- 30BennetReplaced byAllento 74′minutes
- 8KinsellaBooked at 30 mins
- 17EarReplaced byMaddoxto 45′minutes
- 3GordonBooked at 21 minsReplaced byJames Taylorto 45′minutes
- 23HutchinsonReplaced bywilliamsto 73′minutes
- tenKnowles
- 39JohnsonReplaced byWilkinsonto 62′minutes
Substitutes
- 9Wilkinson
- 11williams
- 14Comley
- 15James Taylor
- 16Maddox
- 18McEntee
- 21Allen
Stockport
Training 3-5-2
1Hinchcliffe
4Wright6horse fall15Johnson
27Bardsley14Necklace18Croasdale21Hippolytus17Rydel
9mad19Wootton
- 1Hinchcliffe
- 4Wright
- 6horse fall
- 15JohnsonReplaced byBrownto 67′minutesBooked at 80 minutes
- 27BardsleyReplaced bylewisto 67′minutes
- 14NecklaceReplaced byCrankto 90′minutes
- 18Croasdale
- 21Hippolytus
- 17RydelReplaced byMcDonald’sto 75′minutes
- 9madReplaced bySarcevicto 75′minutes
- 19Wootton
Substitutes
- tenSarcevic
- 11Crank
- 13Jones
- 16Brown
- 26barugh
- 28McDonald’s
- 31lewis
- Arbitrator:
- Craig Hicks
- Presence:
- 6,455
Live Text
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Match ends, Walsall 0, Stockport County 2.
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Second Half ends, Walsall 0, Stockport County 2.
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Calum MacDonald (Stockport County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Hayden White (Walsall).
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Attempt blocked. Oliver Crankshaw (Stockport County) left footed shot from wide to the left is blocked. Assisted by Myles Hippolyte.
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Foul by Antoni Sarcevic (Stockport County).
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Tom Knowles (Walsall) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Failed attempt. James Brown (Stockport County) right footed shot from outside the box is close but misses to the right from a direct free kick.
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Replacement, County of Stockport. Oliver Crankshaw replaces Will Collar.
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Hayden White (Walsall) receives a yellow card.
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James Brown (Stockport County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Hayden White (Walsall).
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Attempt blocked. Jacob Maddox (Walsall) right footed shot to the left of the six yard box is blocked.
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Foul by Joe Lewis (Stockport County).
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Andy Williams (Walsall) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt blocked. Myles Hippolyte (Stockport County) right footed shot from the center of the six yard box is blocked.
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Joe Lewis (Stockport County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Andy Williams (Walsall).
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Attempt saved. Antoni Sarcevic (Stockport County) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box sees his shot blocked. Assisted by Myles Hippolyte.
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Failed attempt. Kyle Wootton (Stockport County) header from the center of the box is close but misses to the right. Assisted by Calum MacDonald with a cross.