Walsall fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat in a behind closed doors friendly against League One side Barnsley at our Essington training base.
The match was played in three 30-minute stages as the Saddlers got some early pre-season minutes under their belts.
Taylor Allen had Walsall’s first effort on 11 minutes when Ronan Maher squared it across and his arrowed low shot was saved comfortably.
Barnsley missed a good chance on 16 minutes as the ball was played across the six-yard box and was touched wide from close range.
Maher came close when Liam Kinsella nodded the ball down into his path and he rifled in a shot first time that just sailed over and that brought an end to the opening 30 minutes.
The visitors opened the scoring on the 45-minute mark when the ball was cut back to Devante Cole who slotted the ball home from close range.
Walsall responded and had a chance to equalise when Brendan Kiernan was played in but he blazed over from a tight angle.
In the final 30 minutes, the Saddlers were on top and were unfortunate not to grab an equaliser.
Joe Foulkes played a lovely ball over the top to Andy Williams who controlled it beautifully on the turn and fired in a shot that was just wide.
Williams again did well to fashion an opportunity and tested the Barnsley goalkeeper with a fierce shot that was tipped over the bar.
Adam Przybek was also on good form and did well to keep the Saddlers in it with a superb double save late on.
Michael Flynn’s men almost had the final say when Trialist switched the ball out to Foulkes who headed it into the path of Williams. The striker arrowed in a shot first time but it just evades the target by a whisker and Barnsley emerged victorious.
First 30: Evans, Bennett, White, Monthe, Allen, Kinsella, Comley, Maher, Hutchinson, Trialist, Taylor-James
Second 30: Evans (Przybek 45’), Riley, Daniels, Trialist, Menayese, Trialist, Perry, Trialist, Trialist, Kiernan, Trialist
Third 30: Przybek, Foulkes, Clarke, Menayese, Sawyers, Trialist, Trialist, Shaw, Trialist, Trialist, Williams