League One
March 12, 2013
Walsall
2 - 0
Tranmere Rovers
League One
19:45 +00:00, March 12, 2013
Banks's Stadium
Referee: G Salisbury
Saddlers close gap on promotion rivals
Scoring Summary
| Walsall | Tranmere Rovers |
|---|---|
| William Grigg (pen 50') | |
| Craig Westcarr (57') |
Teams
| Walsall | Tranmere Rovers |
|---|---|
| 32 Aaron McCarey | 1 Owain fon Williams |
| 25 James Chambers | 5 Ian Goodison |
| 4 Andy Butler | 14 Zoumana Bakayogo |
| 26 Andy Taylor | 2 Danny Holmes |
| 22 Paul Downing | 4 Ash Taylor |
| 7 Adam Chambers | 6 Liam Palmer |
| 27 Sam Mantom | 17 Max Power |
| 10 Jamie Paterson | 25 Mamady Sidibe |
| 29 Craig Westcarr | 26 Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro |
| 12 Febian Brandy | 22 Abdulai Bell-Baggie |
| 9 William Grigg | 20 Michael O'Halloran |
| Substitutes | |
| 21 Liam Roberts | Jason Mooney 33 |
| 5 Dean Holden | Paul Black 3 |
| 14 Ben Purkiss | Donervorn Daniels 23 |
| 6 Nicky Featherstone | Danny Harrison 12 |
| 11 Ashley Hemmings | Paul Corry 24 |
| 24 James Baxendale | David Amoo 18 |
| 17 George Bowerman | Cole Stockton 16 |
| Substitutions | |
| Nicky Featherstone for Febian Brandy (83) | Donervorn Daniels for Ian Goodison (56) |
| Cole Stockton for Michael O'Halloran (63) | |
| David Amoo for Abdulai Bell-Baggie (80) | |
| Yellow Cards | |
| Febian Brandy (60) | Danny Holmes (51) |
| Craig Westcarr (60) | Max Power (60) |
| · Squads: Walsall | Tranmere Rovers | |
Walsall scored twice in the second half to extend their unbeaten run to eight games and keep their play-off hopes alive with a 2-0 win over rivals Tranmere at the Banks's Stadium.
The hosts took the lead in the 50th minute when Febian Brandy was tripped by Danny Holmes and Will Grigg notched his 18th of the season with a low drive from the subsequent penalty.
Seven minutes later a fantastic 30-yard shot from Craig Westcarr increased the Saddlers' lead and Tranmere rarely looked capable of saving a point.
Rovers had started brightly with Mamady Sidibie twice testing home `keeper Aaron McCarey with low drives.
But Walsall's Jamie Paterson had a shot cleared off the line by Ash Taylor in the fifth minute and skipper Andy Butler headed straight into the hands of Rovers' keeper Owain Fon Williams when he should.
Both sides put the emphasis on attacking football and Paterson saw his 28th-minute volley well saved by Fon Williams before Saddlers midfielder Sam Mantom hit a post from 25 yards soon after.