Walsall 2-0 Oldham Athletic

Oldham's League One survival bid suffered a blow as they were beaten in an ill-tempered game at Walsall which they ended with nine men.

The score was harsh on the Latics, who matched their mid-table hosts despite the early dismissal of Lee Croft.

But they lost out to two late goals - an Erhun Oztumer penalty and an Amadou Bakayoko rocket - with Brian Wilson also sent off for the visitors, who remain three points above the drop zone, in between.

Oldham had made a bright start before Croft's 16th-minute dismissal for a reckless studs-up challenge on Jason McCarthy.

The 10 men still fashioned chances as Wilson's 20-yarder forced a diving save from Saddlers goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.

Walsall started to get on top towards the end of the half but Latics keeper Connor Ripley made a great block to stop Kieron Morris sweeping home Oztumer's low cross from 10 yards.

Oldham continued to more than match their hosts in the second half but Tope Obadeyi's free-kick shaved the post in their closest chance.

And Walsall snatched the points 11 minutes from time as Peter Clarke tripped Simeon Jackson in the area and Oztumer beat Ripley from the spot.

Wilson - booked in the first half - then saw a second yellow for a scuffle with Bakayoko, who latched on to Oztumer's through ball before firing into the top corner in the second minute of time added-on to secure Walsall's win.

Match report supplied by the Press Association.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Walsall

• 1EtheridgeBooked at 59mins
• 2EdwardsSubstituted forBakayokoat 69'minutesBooked at 82mins
• 3Laird
• 4O'Connor
• 5McCarthy
• 7Chambers
• 9JacksonSubstituted forMakrisat 83'minutes
• 10Oztumer
• 11Morris
• 14Osbourne
• 32O'Connell

Substitutes

• 6Dobson
• 13MacGillivray
• 18Randall-Hurren
• 20Bakayoko
• 24Roberts
• 33Makris
• 44Moussa

Oldham

• 1Ripley
• 27McLaughlin
• 5Gerrard
• 4WilsonBooked at 82mins
• 22Hunt
• 11CroftBooked at 16mins
• 6O'Neill
• 26ClarkeBooked at 78mins
• 10Holloway
• 28GreenSubstituted forFaneat 64'minutes
• 30ObadeyiSubstituted forErwinat 86'minutes

Substitutes

• 2Law
• 7Flynn
• 12Taylor
• 13Kettings
• 14Ngoo
• 19Erwin
• 24Fane

Referee:

John Brooks

Attendance:

6,003

Match Stats

Home TeamWalsallAway TeamOldham

Possession

Home56%

Away44%

Shots

Home12

Away8

Shots on Target

Home5

Away2

Corners

Home3

Away4

Fouls

Home10

Away6

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Walsall 2, Oldham Athletic 0.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, Walsall 2, Oldham Athletic 0.

Posted at 90'+5'

Foul by Isaiah Osbourne (Walsall).

Posted at 90'+5'

Aaron Holloway (Oldham Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'+4'

Attempt missed. Erhun Oztumer (Walsall) left footed shot from the left side of the box is just a bit too high.

Goal!

Posted at 90'+2'

Goal! Walsall 2, Oldham Athletic 0. Amadou Bakayoko (Walsall) left footed shot from the right side of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Erhun Oztumer.

Posted at 90'+1'

Foul by Amadou Bakayoko (Walsall).

Posted at 90'+1'

Anthony Gerrard (Oldham Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 89'

Corner, Walsall. Conceded by Ryan McLaughlin.

Posted at 88'

Foul by Isaiah Osbourne (Walsall).

Posted at 88'

Ousmane Fane (Oldham Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution

Posted at 86'

Substitution, Oldham Athletic. Lee Erwin replaces Tope Obadeyi.

Substitution

Posted at 83'

Substitution, Walsall. Andreas Makris replaces Simeon Jackson.

Booking

Posted at 82'

Amadou Bakayoko (Walsall) is shown the yellow card.

Dismissal

Posted at 82'

Brian Wilson (Oldham Athletic) is shown the red card for violent conduct.

Goal!

Posted at 79'

Goal! Walsall 1, Oldham Athletic 0. Erhun Oztumer (Walsall) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom right corner.

Booking

Posted at 78'

Peter Clarke (Oldham Athletic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 78'

Penalty Walsall. Erhun Oztumer draws a foul in the penalty area.

Posted at 78'

Penalty conceded by Peter Clarke (Oldham Athletic) after a foul in the penalty area.

Posted at 75'

Corner, Walsall. Conceded by Peter Clarke.

Posted at 72'

Attempt missed. Kieron Morris (Walsall) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.

Posted at 70'

Hand ball by Kieron Morris (Walsall).

Posted at 69'

Foul by Simeon Jackson (Walsall).

Posted at 69'

Rob Hunt (Oldham Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Substitution

Posted at 69'

Substitution, Walsall. Amadou Bakayoko replaces Joe Edwards.

Posted at 68'

Attempt missed. Peter Clarke (Oldham Athletic) header from the left side of the box is too high following a corner.

Posted at 67'

Corner, Oldham Athletic. Conceded by James O'Connor.

Posted at 67'

Foul by Isaiah Osbourne (Walsall).

Posted at 67'

Aiden O'Neill (Oldham Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 66'

Attempt missed. Tope Obadeyi (Oldham Athletic) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top left corner from a direct free kick.

Posted at 65'

Foul by James O'Connor (Walsall).

Posted at 65'

Aaron Holloway (Oldham Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution

Posted at 64'

Substitution, Oldham Athletic. Ousmane Fane replaces Paul Green.

Posted at 63'

Corner, Oldham Athletic. Conceded by Scott Laird.

Posted at 63'

Attempt blocked. Tope Obadeyi (Oldham Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Posted at 61'

Attempt missed. Anthony Gerrard (Oldham Athletic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.

Posted at 61'

Corner, Oldham Athletic. Conceded by Neil Etheridge.

Booking

Posted at 59'

Neil Etheridge (Walsall) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 56'

Tope Obadeyi (Oldham Athletic) hits the left post with a left footed shot from outside the box from a direct free kick.

Posted at 55'

Aaron Holloway (Oldham Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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