Swindon Town beat Walsall 2-1 in FA Cup second round

In a thrilling affair between the pair of League Two sides, Town took the lead through Tyreece Simpson early on.

Walsall equalised from Emmanuel Osadebe’s header before the break, only to see Kesler-Hayden volley home the winner and send Town into round three for the first time since 2012.

Town made one change to the side that drew 1-1 with Harrogate Town in League Two a week ago. Ben Gladwin's return to the starting side was short as he was replaced by Harry McKirdy.

Swindon named a nine-man bench which included youngster Harvey Fox. He made his debut against Colchester United in the EFL Trophy as a substitute last Tuesday night.

After Walsall’s Zak Mills had the first shot of the afternoon, it was Town who took control of proceedings. Ellis Iandolo delivered a couple of dangerous balls into the box, but they went unfinished.

In the 13th minute, Jack Payne volleyed a pass over the top for Simpson to run onto down the right, but Manny Monthe was there again to muscle the teenager off the ball and clear. However, 60 seconds later, Simpson learned his lesson and put Town ahead.

Payne picked up the ball in the middle and played a first-time pass through to Simpson to run onto. This time, he held off Monthe before poking the ball past Carl Rushworth and into the net.

Moments after taking the lead, Town were extremely lucky not to concede a penalty following a mis-timed slide tackle by Iandolo on Conor Wilkinson.

Walsall turned the ball over and quickly slipped it through the thirds. Wilkinson was clearly fouled by Iandolo when attempting to shoot one-on-one, but the referee waved play on.

Town’s wing-backs took turns slamming powerful efforts goalwards midway through the first half, but Rushworth was up to the task on both occasions.

And 10 minutes before the break, Matt Taylor’s men did find an equaliser after a mistake from Akin Odimayo down the right. He pulled out of a tackle, and from there Walsall went for the kill.

The cross came in from the right, and Osadebe was there to nod it in from close range having made a late run from midfield.

Shortly before the break, it was Walsall who went close to taking the lead. Wilkinson hit a superb shot from range after Louis Reed gave it away inside his own half. The shot skipped up on Jojo Wollacott, but he did well to beat it away.

Town started on the front foot at the beginning of the second half, and Williams could have given the visitors the lead.

Swindon worked it around the edge of the box before Reed crossed from the right. Maybe the ball was behind Williams, but he opted to lay it back for Simpson instead and the chance fizzled out.

Wilkinson volleyed well wide for Walsall while McKirdy wasted a counter-attacking chance for Swindon just short of the hour when he ran back into traffic inside the box.

Payne saw a goal-bound volley blocked out for a corner from an Iandolo cross, and Reed blasted straight at Rushworth from range as the high tempo of the match continued.

In the 66th minute, Swindon scored a second goal which their play up to that point had probably warranted.

McKirdy's overhit cross from the right was well kept in by Iandolo on the far side. The return ball was just behind Simpson, but Kesler-Hayden was alert and slammed in with his left to send the 2000 Town fans wild.

With a flurry of substitutions made as both managers looked to forge a result, Swindon survived a golden chance with 15 minutes to play.

A low cross in from the left found an unmarked Kieran Phillips six yards out, but with the goal gaping the Saddlers striker took too long to shoot and could only poke straight at Wollacott, who cleared with his feet.

Shortly after, substitute Tyrese Shade drove an effort goalwards from the left corner of the box which Wollacott hung onto after it bounced in front of him.

With Walsall throwing the kitchen sink at Swindon late on, only a superbly brave stop from Wollacott prevented the hosts from equalising inside six minutes of stoppage time.

Walsall pumped it into the box, and Joss Labadie latched onto the knockdown before shooting from a narrow angle. But Wollacott was there bravely to smother the chance, and Town hung on.

WFC starting XI: Rushworth, White, Labadie, Monthe, Wilkinson, Osadebe, Miller, Phillips, Earing, Mills, Menayese.

SUBS: Rose, Taylor, Kiernan, Kinsella, Bates, Perry, Khan, Shade, Willock.

STFC starting XI: Wollacott, Odimayo, Iandolo, Conroy, Simpson, Payne, McKirdy, Williams, Kesler-Hayden, Hunt, Reed.

SUBS: Ward, Gladwin, Crichlow, Lyden, Mitchell-Lawson, Gilbert, East, Dabre, Fox.