Walsall 0-3 Swindon Town: Robins secure League Two play-off spot

Swindon Town climbed above Mansfield and finished sixth in the Second Division

Goals from Harry McKirdy in the first half and a brace from Jack Payne secured Swindon a place in the League Two play-offs with a comfortable win in Walsall.

Swindon started the day in seventh place, just a point clear of the play-offs, and grappled with their own destiny in front of 3,590 fans at Banks’s Stadium.

Victory secured sixth and a clash with Port Vale in the play-offs.

Walsall finishes the season in 16th place but will be grateful to climb to mid-table after a disastrous spell that saw them plummet down the table and Matt Taylor being sacked as head coach in February.

It took Swindon just three minutes to take the lead when Mandelo drove Egbo into the box and saw his shot blocked only for the rebound to fall and McKirdy fired into the top left corner.

Payne doubled the lead with an excellent left foot into the top right corner after Walsall gave the ball away cheaply in midfield.

Swindon effectively sealed the points before the break when McKirdy was fouled by Donervon Daniels and Payne slammed the penalty into the bottom right corner.

Dion Conroy’s brave block prevented Walsall from conceding early in the second half and Brendan Kiernan hit the crossbar for the home side with four minutes remaining.

lineups

wallall

formation 4-4-2

12Rushworth

2White5Daniels6Month30Divine

10Osadebe8thKinsella17ears28The shade

7Kiernan11miller

• 12Rushworth
• 2White
• 5Daniels45 minutes booked
• 6MonthBooked at 73 minutesReplaced bySadlerat the 89′protocol
• 30DivineReplaced byperryat the 62′protocol
• 10Osadebe
• 8thKinsella
• 17earsReplaced byshowat the 87′protocol
• 28The shade
• 7Kiernan
• 11miller

substitute

• 1rose
• 16show
• 18leak
• 20perry
• 21Rodney
• 23Sadler
• 24Menayese

swindon

formation 4-3-3

12station

18wound6Baudry4Conroy3Iandolo

10Payne25reed20Williams

11McKirdy9Davison19barry

• 12station
• 18woundReplaced byOdimayoat the 75′protocol
• 6BaudryReplaced byO’Brienat the 79′protocol
• 4Conroy
• 3Iandolo
• 10Payne
• 25reed70 minutes booked
• 20WilliamsReplaced byGladwinat the 58′protocol
• 11McKirdy
• 9Davison
• 19barry

substitute

• 1Wollacott
• 2Odimayo
• 7Gladwin
• 16O’Brien
• 17Mitchell Lawson
• 28guide
• 29pastor

Referee: Samuel Barrott

Number of visitors: 9,089

live text

1. Game ends, Walsall 0, Swindon Town 3.

2. End of the second half, Walsall 0, Swindon Town 3.

3. attempt failed. Jack Payne (Swindon Town) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Harry McKirdy from a corner.

4. Corner, Swindon Town. Goal conceded by Dönervon Daniels.

5. attempt failed. George Miller (Walsall) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but the ball goes wide of the top right corner following a counterattack.

6. Substitution Walsall. Mat Sadler replaces Emmanuel Monthe.

7. Substitution Walsall. Jack Shaw replaces Jack Earing.

8. corner, Wallall. Equalizer by Akinwale Odimayo.

9. attempt blocked. George Miller (Walsall) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.

10. Brendan Kiernan (Walsall) hits the bar with a right footed shot from the right side of the box.

11. attempt failed. Louie Barry (Swindon Town) right footed shot from the right side of the box is a bit too high. Assisted by Louis Reed.

12. Foul by Josh Davison (Swindon Town).

13. Emmanuel Monthe (Walsall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

14. attempt saved. Brendan Kiernan (Walsall) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Emmanuel Monthe.

15. attempt blocked. Sam Perry (Walsall) right footed shot from the center of the box is blocked. Assisted by Emmanuel Osadebe.

16. corner, Wallall. Cashed in by Dion Conroy.

17. Foul by Ellis Iandolo (Swindon Town).

18. Brendan Kiernan (Walsall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

19. Substitution, Swindon Town. Jake O’Brien replaces Mathieu Baudry.

20. attempt saved. Brendan Kiernan (Walsall) left footed shot from the center of the box is saved in the center of the goal. Assisted by George Miller.