Walsall Football Club

Our Premier League hosts fielded a strong line-up for the tie.

The opening exchanges saw Rangers see more of the ball without hurting Walsall too much until the tenth minute when a burst on the left from Fabio saw him cross low for Shaun Wright-Phillips who was just off target.

The next raid saw Andrew Johnson have a strike beaten away by David Grof.

A free-kick to The Saddlers was delivered dangerously by Ashley Hemmings as Andy Butler almost capitalised.

Walsall were starting to see more of the ball in the Rangers' half as Jamie Paterson was high, wide and handsome with an attempted curling effort from distance.

There was a good chance for Andrew Johnson as a teasing ball came in from the right only for his attempt to creep a few inches wide of David Grof's far post.

At the other end, Grigg did well to win a corner which just evaded Adam Chambers.

Some pressure by the home side saw Walsall forced to defend bravely with Butler getting in a couple of blocks, the first from Bobby Zamora and the second from Ji-Sung Park.

The breakthrough for Rangers came on 29 minutes when Zamora threaded through Wright-Phillips who managed to guide the ball home beyond Grof.

There was a blow for The Saddlers on 37 minutes when Adam Chambers was forced out of the action through injury as James Baxendale took his pace.

A pacy run by Paterson saw him get into a good position only to fire wide of the target.

Dean Holden saw yellow for a challenge from behind on Zamora in the 43rd minute as The Saddlers took the sting out of the game and kept the home faithful quiet.

The Saddlers started the second period brightly as Nicky Featherstone's neat ball picked out Hemmings who in turn linked up with Grigg to set up Flo Cuvelier for a strike that Robert Green pushed unconvincingly around the post.

The resulting corner saw Grigg's header hit the crossbar and as Butler looked to turn home the rebound, Rangers had men back to scramble clear under pressure.

Rangers' second goal arrived on 65 minutes somewhat out of the blue when Zamora found space on the left and lifted the ball home neatly.

With their tails up, Ji-Sung Park had a shooting chance that Butler did well to block whilst Zamora was just inches away from connection with Johnson's low cross into the danger zone.

There was a change for Walsall on 70 minutes as George Bowerman replaced Grigg.

A loose ball by the home side presented Bowerman with a chance which he managed to lift over Green but just the wrong side of the post.

There was a chance for Jake Jones to show what he can do as the youngster replaced Ashley Hemmings with just over ten minutes to go.

The home side added a third goal on 83 minutes when Park's deflected effort was clawed away by Grof into the path of Jose Bosingwa who lifted the ball home.

Some passages of good late play by Walsall deserved some consolation, particularly when Grof found Jones in space and he was positive to set up Bowerman whose strike was deflected wide.

WALSALL: Grof, Butler, Holden, A. Taylor, Purkiss, Paterson, Chambers (Baxendale), Featherstone, Cuvelier, Hemmings, Grigg.

ATTENDANCE: 6,129 (436).