Glassboys are a pane but Saddlers prevail

IT was not entirely convincing but those who remember the Slough debacle will just be happy that this was a banana skin neatly sidestepped.

As events elsewhere across the country over Saturday and Sunday showed, upsets are inevitable in the first weekend of November.

That Walsall did not fall victim to one was testament to their professionalism and quality – and due in a small part to that rub of the green.

To have a chance of causing a shock in this sort of tie, non-league sides need a bit of luck to go their way and it is fair to say the Glassboys did not receive it.

A couple of penalty shouts waved away, plenty of vital blocks and the fact the ball just did not quite bounce right in the box all amounted to frustration for Stourbridge.

That's not to say Walsall did not deserve their win because they did – they were ultra professional and showed the gulf in class between the sides often enough to avoid the fate that befell Charlton, Hartlepool and others.

But 1-0 was the right result too because the fight, endeavour and no little quality that Stourbridge showed meant they were never in danger of some of the thrashings handed out to other minnows last weekend.

Walsall started brightly as Byfield broke through in the ninth minute but Brock and Sam Smith did just enough to deflect his effort wide.

As the half progressed, Steve Jones looked ever more dangerous down the right and it was no surprise when he cut inside on 34 minutes and blasted home with his left foot from just inside the box into the roof of the net.

Ince had to be alert to tip a Sean Evans free kick around his near post in Stourbridge's best effort of the half and he produced a similar save from a driven effort from the same man right on half time.

Had Walsall taken one of their many chances in the 15 minutes after the break, they might have had a hatful but they were denied by the flag when Matt Richards' shot hit the offside Byfield following a scorching run by Jones.

Deeney sent a header straight at Brock and Byfield drove a one-on-one chance into the side netting before seeing another shot well saved by the keeper's legs.

Which all meant there were a few anxious moments in the last 20 minutes, particularly penalty appeals for handball after blocks by Manny Smith and Mark Hughes.

The first might have been a decent shout but the second was just a stunning piece of defending – Hughes flinging his head in the way of a possibly goalbound Evans shot.

Walsall could have sealed it on the break late on when substitute and hometown boy Alex Nicholls raced clear but his shot skimmed the crossbar.

And anyway 2-0 – let alone more – would have been harsh on brave Stourbridge...

FA Cup First Round

Stourbridge 0

Walsall 1

WALSALL: Ince, Weston, Hughes, Smith, Sansara, Richards (Till 88), Mattis, Bradley, Jones, Byfield, Deeney (Nicholls 75). Subs (not used): Gilmartin, Westlake, McDonald, O'Keefe, Parkin. ATTENDANCE: 2,014. ADVERTISER STAR MAN: Steve Jones – imposed his class on the part-timers.