Under-18s Slip To Away League Defeat
"Walsall thoroughly deserved their win and our lads are going to have to learn from this.
We played really well in our first two games this season but the last two have been poor from us so more has to come from the lads." Dawes said afterwards:
FULL-TIME: Walsall 2-0 Shrewsbury Town
Sears latched onto a corner in the 90th minutes to try and half the deficit but his header sailed past the post along with any chance of a Shrewsbury fightback.
Kouhyar sealed the victory for the home side with a cracking finish on 85 minutes. The midfielder picked up the ball in space, dribbled towards the box and then unleashed a low shot past a hapless Lewis with Shrewsbury defenders watching on. The midlands side deserved the two goal cushion with their second half performance.
He controlled the ball with his chest on the edge of the box before twisting and volleying an effort goal bound which Jezeph reacted well to.
John McAtee showed some individual quality to try and restore parity for Shrewsbury with 20 minutes left.
Peters was found in space with a ball over the defence and he finessed his shot over Lewis and off the post and in, only for the linesman to rule it out for offside.
The game suddenly burst to life as Walsall thought they had doubled their lead three minutes later.
Jezeph launched a powerful throw out to Sam Tonks who dribbled before playing a through ball which found Peters in space in the box, his shot was saved but Hayles-Docherty made sure of the rebound.
Walsall got the goal their attacking performance deserved in the 54th minute with a slick move.
Walsall started the second half brightly as the sun came out in Birmingham. Oliver and Callum Cockerill-Mollett were linking up well which put Shrewsbury under pressure yet again.
HALF-TIME: Walsall 0-0 Shrewsbury Town
Peters made an incisive break away for the Saddlers just before half-time, he covered nearly the whole length of the pitch from a Shrewsbury corner but his hard shot was saved well by Lewis.
Walsall took the lead five minutes before half-time. Kouhyar burst through the Shrewsbury defence leaving players in his wake before a neat one two with Hayles-Docherty put him clean through on goal but his shot was blocked for a corner.
Moments later Town should have gone ahead. Ethan Jones was put through with a smart through ball in to the box, he squared the ball to George Hassall who had the keeper at his mercy but he could only shoot into Dan Jezeph’s grateful hands.
The resulting corner was headed goal-bound by George Hughes but his effort was cleared off the line.
The away side nearly scored against the run of play five minutes later. King side-stepped his man before breaking into the box and firing a low shot which was blocked.
Oliver nearly took the lead in the 8th minute. He went on a jinking run through the Shrewsbury backline before firing his shot straight at Harry Lewis who parried over.
The home side started the brightest as Shrewsbury struggled to string passes together.
The first chance of the game fell to Walsall. King was dispossessed before Rory Oliver whipped in a cross from wide but Cameron Peters didn’t get enough on his header.
FIRST HALF
Head of Academy coaching Ian Dawes made a host of changes to the side that lost to Carlisle. Joel Bonner, Ryan Sears and Nathan Millis all dropped to the bench as Jack Butts, Callum Grogan and Tom King came into the starting line-up.
TEAM NEWS
Second-half goals from Tobias Hayles-Docherty and Mazair Kouhyar were enough to give the Saddlers all three points at the Birmingham County FA Headquarters.. It was disappointing from the away side who were hoping to improve upon the 3-1 defeat to Carlisle United in their last outing.
Shrewsbury Town’s youth team slipped to defeat at Walsall in the Football League Youth Alliance - North West league on Saturday. :WALSALL LINE-UP
UNUSED SUBS: Joel Bonner, Nathan Millis.
Harry Lewis (GK); Jack Butts, Callum Roberts, George Hughes (Jordan Wilson, 45) Callum Grogan (c) Jacob Rammell, Joe Kenton (Ryan Sears, 18) John McAtee, George Hassall (Joe Ashley, 72) Ethan Jones, Tom King SHREWSBURY TOWN LINE-UP:
: Scunthorpe United v Shrewsbury Town (Football League Youth Alliance Cup, Saturday 29 August, 11am kick-off, venue tbc). NEXT FIXTURE
ASSISTANTS: Paul Hill, Kris Owen
: David Barratt REFEREE
GOALS: Hayles- Docherty (54) Kouhtar (85).
UNUSED SUBS: Bradley Caswell, Lezion Cela, Raekwon Smith.
Dan Jezeph (GK); Sam Tonks (Ashley Maddocks, 82) Callum Cockerill- Mollett, Jordan Sangha (c) Dan Vann, Kory Roberts, Rory Oliver, Maziar Kouhtar, Cameron Peters, Will Shorrock, Tobias Hayles-Docherty (Kyle King, 87).