Walsall Football Club

The Saddlers face the Shrimps this evening...

OVERVIEW:
Walsall’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy adventure begins with a first-ever trip to the Globe Arena to play Jim Bentley’s injury-hit Morecambe. The Saddlers reached the final last season - where we played at Wembley Stadium for the first time in our history (losing 2-0 to Bristol City) - and will be hoping to go one better this time around. Morecambe, who are currently tenth in League Two, were eliminated by Bury in the second round in 2014/15.

LAST FIVE COMPETITIVE MATCHES: (Most recent match first)
Morecambe: WDLWL
Walsall: WWWWW

LAST TIME OUT:
Saturday, 29th August – Morecambe 4-1 Notts County – League Two
Goals from Alan Goodall, Paul Mullin, Alex Kenyon and Jamie Devitt gave Morecambe a convincing victory over Notts County. Genaro Snijders levelled for County in the first half.
Team: Roche, Beeley (Kenyon 47’), Parrish, Dugdale, McGowan, Goodall, Wildig (Mullin 45’), Barkhuizen (Molyneux 73’), Fleming, Devitt, Miller. Subs not used: Bondswell, Bailey, Wilson, Ryan.

Saturday, 29th August – Blackpool 0-4 Walsall – League One
Romaine Sawyers scored twice – including a goal of the season contender - as the Saddlers hammered struggling Blackpool to go top of League One. Sam Mantom was also on target with a header, and Tom Aldred scored an unfortunate own goal.
Team: Etheridge, Downing, O’Connor, Taylor, Demetriou, Chambers, Mantom, Flanagan (Baxendale 80’), Henry (Forde 73’), Bradshaw (Cook 79’), Sawyers. Subs not used: MacGillivray, Lalkovic, Preston, Morris.

MORECAMBE MANAGER:
Jim Bentley – The 39-year-old is now into his fifth season in charge of the Shrimps. Bentley spent nine years as a defender for Morecambe, between 2002 and 2011, before being appointed manager. He started his playing career with Telford United.

MORECAMBE STAR MAN:
Tom Barkhuizen – A summer signing from Blackpool, the 22-year-old forward scored his maiden Shrimps goal in a 3-3 draw at Portsmouth (22 Aug). He progressed through Blackpool’s youth system, making 21 league appearances, and also enjoyed loan spells at Hereford, Fleetwood and Morecambe.

VIEW FROM THE MORECAMBE CAMP:
Jim Bentley (on playing Walsall) - “They’ve got Chelsea in the cup so if they’re going to take this competition lightly we’ll have to wait and see. They’re going well in the league as well and will be hoping to continue their good start to the season. We’re confident after the last couple of performances but it’ll be a tough game against a very good side.”

TEAM NEWS:
Morecambe: Peter Murphy, Laurence Wilson and Tony Thompson are all injured. Ryan Edwards and Kevin Ellison are suspended. Aaron Wildig is a doubt (illness).
Walsall: No injury concerns. Neil Etheridge and Jason Demetriou are away on international duty.

REFEREE:
Sebastian Stockbridge

STAT OF THE DAY:
Walsall have not won seven successive matches (in the same season) since the 1959/60 campaign.

THIS EVENING’S JOHNSTONE’S PAINT TROPHY FIXTURES: (7.45pm unless stated)
Hartlepool vs. Sheffield United (7.00pm)
Accrington vs. Bury
Doncaster vs. Burton
Notts County vs. Mansfield
Port Vale vs. Carlisle
Scunthorpe vs. Barnsley
Shrewsbury vs. Oldham
Wimbledon vs. Plymouth
Cambridge vs. Dagenham & Redbridge
Exeter vs. Portsmouth
Luton vs. Leyton Orient
Millwall vs. Peterborough
Newport vs. Swindon
Northampton vs. Colchester
Yeovil vs. Barnet