The Saddlers picked up another Central League victory yesterday as John Ward’s side ran out 5-0 winners over Morecambe at Ray Hall Lane.
Walsall lined up with a mix of youngsters and senior players, with goalkeeper Brandon Ganley playing behind a back four of captain Jordon Sangha, Dan Vann, Sam Leivesley and Callum Cockerill-Mollett.
Cockerill-Mollett was playing just his second game following a knee injury suffered on international duty with the Republic of Ireland U19s in September and played the full 90 minutes, getting forward well in support of attacks.
Tobias Hayles-Docherty was the right-sided midfielder with Maz Kouhyar playing on the left, with Reece Flanagan and Will Shorrock in the centre of midfield behind the front two of Mitch Candlin and Simeon Jackson.
Walsall took the lead after less than two minutes with HAYLES-DOCHERTY, fresh off his fine finish against Port Vale a week prior, charging onto a through ball down the right and cutting into the box.
The young winger drove a powerful effort to the far-left corner, giving The Saddlers the perfect start.
Hayles-Docherty almost made it 2-0 with seven minutes on the clock - a fine switch of play from Jackson released the youngster down that right flank but his low effort was saved well by goalkeeper Niall Maher.
Maher was called into action again after 25 minutes - this time denying Jackson, who unleashed a powerful effort on the turn but could not beat the Morecambe stopper.
Jackson had further chances for The Saddlers while Vann had a header from a Flanagan corner cleared off the line, while The Shrimps came closest through a powerful drive from Fletcher that curled just over the bar.
Walsall would extend the lead on the stroke of half-time. A quick counter saw Candlin make headway through the middle of the park before slotting in KOUHYAR to his left. The Afghanistan international took one touch into the box before cutting onto his right foot, and placing his shot just inside the near post.
With no changes at the break, Walsall continued to get forward well and duly made it 3-0 on 54 minutes as JACKSON took down a long ball just outside the box, tricked and turned his way past one defender and around the keeper before keeping his composure and slotting the ball past the final man on the line.
FLANAGAN made it 4-0 after 68 minutes. Receiving the ball outside the box, the midfielder took a touch past one defender then cut inside and into the box to make his way past another, before finishing coolly to the bottom-right corner.
It could have been 5-0 through Hayles-Docherty with 10 to play, the winger curling just over the bar from 15 yards.
But as the game entered the 90th minute, 17-year-old substitute Luke LITTLE got on the scoresheet, with the loose ball falling to him in the box and the youngster making no mistake from close range.
SADDLERS: Ganley, Sangha (C), Vann, Leivesley, Cockerill-Mollett, Hayles-Docherty (Little 88), Flanagan (Butterfield 75), Shorrock, Kouhyar (Bates 77), Candlin (Peters 67), Jackson.