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  • Kick-off: 15:00
  • Venue: The Memorial Stadium
  • Attendance: 6609
  • Referee: Russell, M

Live Commentary

90mins

The ref has blown his whistle for full time.

90mins

That's it, it's all over, the referee has blown the final whistle.

90mins

It's red. He's off. Byron Anthony has been sent off.

90mins

Michael Ricketts takes a penalty for Walsall and scores!.

90mins

Rhys Weston is booked for unsporting behaviour.

79mins

David Pipe is replaced by Ryan Green.

76mins

Goal!! Bristol Rovers have scored with Steve Elliott putting it in the back of the net.

76mins

Darryl Duffy is being taken off, Ben Hunt has come on in his place.

71mins

Walsall are replacing Jabo Ibehre with Ishmel Demontagnac.

63mins

Bristol Rovers are replacing Chris Lines with Jo Kuffour.

61mins

Walsall are replacing Marco Reich with Troy Deeney.

60mins

Clayton Ince goes into the referee's book for not retreating at set play.

58mins

The referee has booked Jabo Ibehre.

47mins

The referee has booked Jeff Hughes.

46mins

The second half is under way with the score currently at 0 v 2.

45mins

Half time whistle is blown by M Russell

24mins

Goal!! Walsall have scored with Stephen Roberts putting it in the back of the net.

11mins

Walsall are replacing Anthony Gerrard with Chris Palmer.

10mins

Goal!! Michael Ricketts scores for Walsall.

0mins

It's 3pm on Saturday, September 13th, the match has kicked off.

Match Report

Bristol Rovers worked hard all week on sorting out defensive failures, but found themselves two goals down well inside the first 30 minutes from corners.

They came from opposite sides of the pitch - the first hooked in by Michael Ricketts and the second skimmed high into the far corner off the header of Stephen Roberts.

Both were engineered by Marco Reich and show how far Walsall were on top - they came from his third and seventh corners.

Walsall's lead came at some cost for defender Anthony Gerrard, who dislocated his left shoulder as he turned Reich's flag-kick for the first goal into Ricketts' path.

Throughout the half, Walsall's striking pair of Ricketts and Jabo Ibehre caused havoc in a threadbare Rovers defence, which was just about held together by Byron Anthony's thrusting head.

He did not see out the match though, being red-carded in injury time for a tackle from behind.

Rovers had no way to match Walsall's attacking pair as Ricky Lambert - in his 100th game - and Darryl Duffy failed to work up much in the way of a partnership.

Rovers only chance of the opening half came when Craig Disley sprinted through but was easily robbed inside the box.

He almost made up for it with a header against the bar from Rovers' first corner early in the second half.

That sparked off Rovers' brightest spell and brought bookings for Walsall keeper Ince and Ibehre, while manager Jimmy Mullen was sent to the stand for running onto the pitch.

Walsall's hopes of a first clean sheet vanished when Steve Elliott volleyed past Ince.

But their win was firmed up from the penalty spot after Anthony had been sent off for bringing down Troy Deeney from behind and Ricketts rammed the spot-kick home.

Bristol Rovers

Walsall

Corners

66

Fouls

108

Goal attempts

118

Shots off target

53

Offsides

41

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