WALSALL FC 0-1 COVENTRY CITY
City:Murphy (GK), Adams, Webster, J. Clarke, Phillips, Moussa (Barton 82), Thomas, Fleck, Baker (C) (Daniels 92), L. Clarke, Wilson. Subs: Burge (GK), Urquhart, Haynes, Garner, Loza.
Walsall: O'Donnell (GK), Taylor, Butler (C), Featherstone, Chambers, Mantom, Westcarr (Hewitt 71), Hemmings (Sawyers 80), Downing, J. Chambers, Baxendale (Gray 62). Subs: Lewis (GK), Purkiss, Benning, Lalkovic.
HT WFC 0-0 CCFC FT WFC 0-1 CCFC ATT 6159
Goals Franck Moussa 54
Referee G.Ward. Booked Fleck, J.Chambers
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Coventry City put in a great performance to win 1-0 at Walsall.
Our second local away game in seven days meant a trip up the M6 to Walsall. The Saddlers, who saw sense in the summer and rejected Tim Fisher's plans to move the club to the Bescot Stadium, might not have the lofty league position that Wolves and Leyton Orient currently enjoy but as those who saw the 4-0 defeat here back in April know only too well, only a fool would write them off and City needed to put in even more effort than they did in the superb win on Tuesday night.
Steven Pressley was forced into one change on a sunny but blustry afternoon with Aaron Phillips coming in for the injured Jordan Willis, whilst new loanee Jamar Loza was on the bench.
City in sky blue, took to the pitch, which was cut into circles around the centre circle and attacked the big stand that you can see from the M6 for the first half.
Callum Wilson was straight on the attack sending one shot wide and winning a fourth minute corner as the noise from an excellent following from a City support, which included numbers from Kent, Hampshire and a whole host of places including Coventry of 2,138 started to build.
A corner and a Wilson shot was hacked away as the Sky Blues continued to press.
Phillips, who sparked a frenzy in the away end with his goal at Wolves, won the second of two corners in quick succession. Then, great persistence from Wilson sent Moussa in to shoot wide in the 13th minute.
When City needed to defend, Aaron Phillips, Blair Adams who made some great runs, Andy Webster and Jordan Clarke who put in some excellent headers, all dealt with the job in hand.
Mantom did cause a brief second of panic when he fired across the goal in the 32nd minute.
Moussa fired at O'Donnell in the Saddlers goal before a foul by Thomas gave Walsall a 38th minute free kick which was blasted at Fleck, who played some cracking balls, who was booked. The City fans booed the referee as Westcarr's kick beat the wall but not Murphy who dived to his left to push away for a corner.
Mantom won a corner that fell for Taylor to get in a deflected shot which trickled past Murphy's left hand post but it was honours even at the break, which saw a steward allegedly hit by a bottle.
The second half started with Captain Carl Baker firing over and a 53rd minute corner which came down to Jordan Clarke whose header was initially well saved by Donnelly and the ball fell for Franck Moussa to tap into the net from a yard or so out.
To a man every City players continued to work for the cause, chasing down players and restricting the Saddlers to long range efforts.
Walsall brought on former Sky Blue Julien Gray on in the 62nd minute to taunts from the City fans who were enjoying what was an excellent performance.
Following the ejection of two young City fans for singing City songs in the home end after ignoring three warnings not to do so, Moussa won a 66th minute corner.
Baker and Adams then took corners against a Walsall side, which had made another change.
Wilson did well with Donnelly out of his goal, but as he centred, Butler made a timely intervention.
As per usual, Franck Moussa did not see out the game and Adam Barton was sent on for the final eight minutes.
With three to go, Wilson had a shot beat away for a corner and Murphy made one late save as City recorded another welcome victory to put them within five points of the play-offs.