Walsall vs Fleetwood Town. The FA Cup First Round.
Bescot StadiumAttendance2,056.
Tuesday 16 November 2010 22:32, UK
Reuben Reid's brace earned Walsall a 2-0 win over Fleetwood on Tuesday and an FA Cup second-round trip to Torquay.
But the League One side, bottom of the table, were a shade lucky to survive a first half in which Blue Square Premier side Fleetwood created numerous chances and were denied by Saddlers' veteran keeper James Walker who picked up the man-of-the-match award. Reid, on loan from West Brom, struck first in the 58th minute, volleying in a perfect cross from Alex Nicholls from close range and in the third minute of stoppage time he rubbed it in with a second, nipping through the Fleetwood defence on to Aaron Lescott's pass to notch his sixth goal of the season. But it was a much different story in the first half when Fleetwood played some fine football and in the 27th minute Walker had to fly to his left to tip away a shot from Anthony Barry, then almost immediately Town central defender Paul Linwood headed wide from a great position. Walker also saved a close-range header from Lee Thorpe and John Miles, almost clear, saw his shot blocked by Manny Smith and just before the break Walker again saved at the feet of Sean Clancy. But brave Fleetwood paid the price in the second half when Reid showed them how to finish.
