Bristol Rovers vs Walsall. Sky Bet League One.
The Memorial StadiumAttendance8,544.
Saturday 9 September 2017 20:11, UK
Ollie Clarke volleyed a late winner to give 10-man Bristol Rovers a 2-1 victory over Walsall at the Memorial Stadium.
The midfielder shot home from eight yards in the 86th minute after a cross from the left rebounded into his path off a Walsall defender.
Rovers had gone in front after only five minutes when a slip by Jon Guthrie allowed Rory Gaffney to latch on to a long ball from Chris Lines and advance to beat Mark Gillespie with a neat chip.
But Walsall had the better of the opening half and should have equalised four minutes before the break when Luke Leahy headed badly wide from an Erhun Oztumer free-kick.
The Saddlers equalised after 58 minutes when James Wilson rose to nod home a Joe Edwards corner and looked the more likely winners when Rovers goalkeeper Sam Slocombe was shown a straight red card from bringing down Amadou Bakayoko soon after.
But young replacement keeper Alexis Andre made a couple of important saves and Clarke's winner deprived Walsall of a deserved point.
