Rampant on the break, the visitors were handed a chance to level matters with a penalty of their own on the 33 rdminute when Conor Masterson mis-timed a tackle and took Phillips out in the process. Matty Taylor’s men reacted positively, conjuring up another scare on the 25 th minute when Hayden White’s sublime cross was met well by Wilkinson – who dipped his header agonisingly wide of United’s left post. Making no mistake from 12 yards, the top scorer calmly slotted into the bottom left corner. After pouncing on a misplaced Otis Khan back pass, the striker was taken out by Manny Monthe before he could pull the trigger. The hosts’ first major attempt proved clinical when Smith handed United the lead from the spot on 18. United were dealt a major scare on the 7 th minute when Wilkinson flicked the ball onto Kieran Phillips, who got the better of Jubril Okedina and marauded forwards in a one-on-one position but was denied astutely by the feet of McKenzie-Lyle to ensure the game remained deadlocked. Conor Wilkinson had two quickfire attempts from a tricky angle down the left but blazed both into the side netting. After a strong interception in the middle of the park, Emmanuel Osadebe drove into the final third and lashed an attempt that McKenzie-Lyle met with a strong dive.
The Saddlers started the tie in authoritative fashion, testing the U’s backline with some early opportunities within the opening minutes. They’d take heart from promising knockout football performances this campaign, dispatching Oxford United and Tottenham Hotspur U21’s to set up a tie against a streaky Saddlers side who finished 2 nd in an enticing group D and were languishing in 14 th in League Two.
Looking to advance from the Round of 32 for a second successive season, the U’s approached the match determined to generate some momentum after going winless in four in a challenging run in the league.
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