Walsall v Sutton preview - Sutton to wear amber

31 March 2023

Sutton are back on the road this weekend with a visit to Walsall for a Sky Bet League Two clash, kick off 3pm. Sutton will be wearing amber for the game rather than black as originally advertised.

It's a big weekend at the top of League Two, with the top six clubs in direct competition, starting on Friday evening when Stockport host Salford, and then continuing as Leyton Orient host Carlisle and Stevenage visit Northampton on Saturday. With some of the six therefore bound to drop points it could be a chance for the chasing clubs to close the gap, and Sutton, currently six points behind Salford and five behind Bradford who are in the last play-off position, will hope for maximum points at the Poundland Bescot Stadium and a first victory over Walsall.

The Midlands club are in mid-table, secen points behind U's, and have won once in their last fifteen games. However ten of those have been drawn, and Walsall's total of sixteen draws this season is the highest in the division. One of those came at the VBS in October, when Walsall played three quarters of the game with ten men after Brandon Comley had been sent off but grabbed a draw through Jacob Maddox's late goal after Rob Milsom's penalty had given U's the lead. Walsall have recently welcomed back Joss Labadie and Conor Wilkinson from injury, the latter having won and converted the highly controversial penalty that gave Walsall the points in last season's meeting.

Sutton secured a hard fought point at Mansfield last Saturday, making it just two defeats in U's last sixteen games, and having missed that game through injury and illness respectively captain Craig Eastmond and striker Lee Angol have both trained all week and could come back in to contention.

Referee Thomas Parsons is taking charge of the third Sutton game of his first EFL season, having previously been in the middle for the away game at Crewe in August and December's home game against Gillingham.

Tickets are available at the stadium on Saturday, prices are: Adults £24; Over 60s £20; Under 21 £19; Under 18 £13. Family ticket (one adult and one Under 18) £26. Disabled supporters are charged at full price for their age category and can bring a carer free of charge. Card payments only.

An away fans' bar opens at the Poundland Bescot Stadium at 1.00pm and supporters should note that the stadium is cashless.

For supporters unable to get to the game we will have live audio commentary on our iFollow service, with a match pass costing £2.50 and a monthly pass £4.49. Overseas supporters can watch the game for £10. Click here to buy the relevant pass.

There are still seats available on the Supporters' Club coach which leaves the VBS at 9am. The fare will be no more than £30. Please email John at johnparsons092@gmail.com or text 07989 261929 before 6pm on Friday to reserve a place.

With the threatened rail strike for Saturday now called off travelling by train to the game is a good option for independent travellers with the ground having its own station, Bescot Stadium, reached from Euston with a change at Birmingham New Street in all cases. Suitable trains leave Euston at 16 and 40 minutes past the hour, and the total journey time is just over two hours. From the station walk under the M6 and the ground is in front of you, with the visitors' accommodation closest. Return trains leave at 17.11, 17.41, 17.54 and 18.11, again changing at Birmingham New Street and the last of those also needing a change at Nuneaton.

If you're driving,leave the M6 at junction 7, take the A34 towards Walsall. At the end of the dual carriageway stretch turn left by the Bell pub in to Walstead Road and continue for about two miles, crossing the A4031 before coming to the ground on your right. Postcode WS1 4SA. Car parking is available at £7 per car, and although the rest of the stadium is cashless, parking is cash only.

Match Previews

Match Reports

Match report for Walsall 1 Sutton United 1

1 April 2023

Walsall 1 (Hutchinson 90+5) Sutton United 1 (Smith 31)

Sutton were within seconds of a deserved first win against Walsall to keep the pressure on the sides in the play-off positions when Walsall, second best for much of the game, scrambled a stoppage time equaliser through Isaac Hutchinson. U's seemed to be on course for maximum points, and had a throw in inside the Walsall half, but possessiion was surrendered and Hutchinson's counter attacking run was halted by Joe Kizzi thirty yards out. Kizzi was booked, but the greater punishment came as Tom Knowles' free kick bounced back off Jack Rose and Hutchinson reacted quickest to force home the rebound.

It was a bitter blow for U's who until that stage had produced an impressive away performance lacking only a second goal to add to Ali Smith's effort on the half hour, and who had been under little threat from a Walsall side with only one win in their previous fifteen league games, and Matt Gray admitted afterwards that it felt like a defeat.

With Coby Rowe still suffering the effects of his clash of heads at Mansfield a week ago, Joe Kizzi moved in to central defence with Enzio Boldewijn brought in at right back, where he gave another accomplished performance. Craig Eastmond returned in midfield while Lee Angol was named on the bench after recovering from illness. Sutton had the initiative from the start and one typical run from David Ajiboye took him past three defenders before his shot was well saved by Owen Evans.

In an entertaining first half Rose had to keep out a Conor Wilkinson effort at his near post, and home skipper Donervon Daniels saw a shot diverted wide by Kizzi, but the greater fluency came from U's and Evans denied them again with a fine save from Eastmond after the captain had surged past three players before hitting a well struck shot from twenty yards.

While his shot stopping was impressive, Evans looked less happy when the ball came in to his six yard box from set pieces, and escaped with two uncertain punches under pressure. When U's forced another corner, though, as Smith exchanged passes with Omar Bugiel and was denied by a last ditch challenge from Joe Riley, Will Randall sent in another testing delivery from the left and Smith volleyed the ball in at the far post (above).

Daniels then lost possession to Donovan Wilson before recovering to block Wilson's shot, and it was a reflection of the way the first half had dveloped that Walsall made two changes at half time, bringing on Jamille Matt and Liam Gordon, Matt replacing Matt Stevens with whom he had such a prolific partnership at Forest Green last season. Both were immediately involved in a move that saw Gordon's dangerous cross cleared, but Walsall were unable to maintain the momentum and Sutton seemed to have the game under control, with Smith and Sam Hart both trying their luck from distance but sending their shots off target. Rose made a routine save from Hutchinson, and Walsall's one big chance fell to Joss Labadie, whose return to home action after a long injury lay off had seen him booked within two minutes of replacing Daniels, but he shot wide after Matt had headed a cross in to his path.

The fifth minute of stoppage time saw Hutchinson pounce on Rose's error to equalise, but U's even then could have claimed maximum points when an unmarked Angol headed over from Boldewijn's cross seconds before referee Thomas Parsons blew the final whistle.

Sutton: J Rose, J Kizzi, S Hart, C Eastmond, B Goodliffe, D Ajiboye(sub H Beautyman 84), E Boldewijn, A Smith, O Bugiel(sub K Kouassi 70), D Wilson (sub L Angol 70), W Randall. Booked: Bugiel, Kizzi. Subs n/u B House, C Dundas, L Gambin, R Milsom.

Walsall: O Evans, O McEntee(sub L Gordon H-T), J Low, I Hutchinson, D Daniels (sub J Labadie 76), M Monthe, J Riley(sub A Williams 60), L Kinsella, C Wilkinson(sub J Maddox 60), T Knowles, M Stevens(sub J Matt H-T). Subs n/u J Smith, Y Songo'o. Booked: Labadie, Matt

Referee: Thomas Parsons

Attendance: 4,809 (201 away)