County emerged victorious in the EFL Youth Alliance North West Division on Saturday, as second-half goals from Che Gardner and Jack Kenny overturned a first-half Walsall lead.
The young Hatters applied plenty of pressure in the opening stages. Kenny looped a header back across goal, but the goalkeeper easily claimed the ball.
Another chance was presented to County, as Joe Hillary broke down the left and rolled a ball into the path of the oncoming James Barry, who saw his strike deflected behind.
County ramped up the pressure and should have taken the lead through Keane Barugh. A misplaced pass by the goalkeeper presented Barugh with a one-on-one chance, but the goalkeeper recovered and made an important save.
Against the run of play, the hosts then took the lead. A reflex save from Kane Bove looked to have relieved the pressure from County’s back-line, but an onrushing red shirt stroked the ball home on the rebound.
Hillary came close to levelling the scores on the cusp of half-time. A driving run into the box from the left-wing back opened up space for a strike, but he dragged his effort wide of the target.
County were then given another chance to equalise through Christian Mulindwa. Barry weaved in and out inside the box and found Mulindwa in acres of space, but his left-footed strike sailed wide of the target.
HALF-TIME: Walsall 1-0 County
Starting the second half in the manner they finished the first, the young Hatters kept the pressure up. Hillary swung a dangerous cross into the box, but Luke Partington couldn’t direct his header goalward.
Ten minutes from time, County finally levelled the score. Substitute Freddie Redshaw drove down the left and drilled a cross into Gardner, who thumped the ball home from six yards.
Kenny then had the chance to win the game for County, as a floated corner by Hillary found the centre-back, but his header was cleared off the line.
At the death though, County and Kenny did snatch all three points. A well-worked corner from Gardner, Harry Johnson and Jack Atkinson worked space for a cross, where Kenny rose highest and headed County towards victory.
County XI: Bove; Partington, Watson, Kenny, Hillary; Johnson, Mulindwa, Atkinson; Barry, Williams, Barugh.
