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Walsall win 2-0 at Chesterfield in League Two play-off semi-final first leg Allen put Saddlers ahead from penalty spot before Chang thumped in second Second leg takes place at Bescot Stadium on Friday (20: 00 BST KO) AFC Wimbledon beat Notts County 1-0 in other League Two play-off on Saturday Glenn Speller FT: Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall So we still await our first home win of these EFL play-offs as Walsall get themselves a nice lead to take back to the Bescot Stadium next Friday. Feel free to join us for the League One tie between Wycombe and Charlton which starts at 18: 30 BST or maybe head for the garden and something cooling. If you missed any of the action you can read the report by clicking on the report tab at the top of this page. FT: Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall Lee Turnbull Former Chesterfield forward on BBC Radio Sheffield It was really executed from the Saddlers. The important stat was that Walsall scored two, Chesterfield didn't score any. The Spireites have to go into the next leg and get an early goal. The pressure is still on to a certain degree for Walsall but they will be absolutely delighted. FT: Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall Jimmy Walker Former Walsall goalkeeper on BBC Radio WM They deserved that. To let what happened at the end of the season go. They've been outstanding. I thought the set-up was superb and their work rate was exceptional. It's not been there but when it mattered the most today, it's been there. That Crewe result was heart-breaking - but has it galvanised Walsall? Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall Walsall are half way to Wembley. The damage was done in the first period with Taylor Allen's penalty added to by a fine Alfie Chang strike. Tommy Simkin saved well from Ryan Colclough and Tom Naylor before tipping Lewis Gordon's header onto the bar and then denying Aribim Pepple in the 90th minute. That makes it sound like the home side had a bucket-load of chances but they were fleeting and isolated with Walsall even threatening as early as the 15th second when Ryan Boot had to save from George Hall. Walsall have shown their collapse from a 12-point lead at the top has far from finished them while Chesterfield's six-game unbeaten run comes to an end in disappointing fashion for them but we do have a second leg to come. Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall Lee Turnbull Former Chesterfield forward on BBC Radio Sheffield Paul Cook will be a little bit frustrated that they haven't been able to create the opportunities from the centre of the pitch. The keeper has made some outstanding saves but they've not really dominated the midfield. Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall Into time added on we go. We will have at least a further five minutes. Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall Jimmy Walker Former Walsall goalkeeper on BBC Radio WM The cross was too easy to come in. You have to stop that cross. Liam Gordon is too square on, he doesn't have a clue what's behind him. That's great goal keeping but you can't have those chances in there. Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall Dylan Duffy gets a cross to the far post and Aribim Pepple's downward header is held on the line by Tommy Simkin. Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall Michael Jacobs and Jack Sparkes are on for Chesterfield. John Fleck and Lewis Gordon head off. Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall Walsall might get a third as it opens up for Levi Amantchi and Ryan Boot tips it over and gets just enough on it as the ball nestles on the roof of the goal. The corner isn't effectively dealt with but Taylor Allen's speculative effort is over. Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall Lee Turnbull Former Chesterfield forward on BBC Radio Sheffield It's been a slightly disappointing performance from Chesterfield today if I'm being honest. It's disjointed. Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall This is all disrupting the game but that suits Walsall. George Hall is replaced by Josh Gordon for Walsall and Albert Adomah comes on for Jamie Jellis. Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall At the moment Chesterfield are heading for a first defeat in seven games and Walsall for back-to-back wins for the first time since February. Chesterfield want to try to change that with two substitutions. Ryan Colclough and Tom Naylor are off for Dylan Duffy and Aribim Pepple. Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall Sanny Rudravajhala BBC Radio 5 Live at the SMH Group Stadium The

home fans have got really frustrated now. They think Walsall are making the most of

every stoppage and it’s completely derailing Chesterfield’s momentum. They’ve

had Tommy Simkin to thank for keeping them two ahead. The Spireites need to keep going

and forget the time-wasting of their opponents if they’re getting back into

this. Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall Jimmy Walker Former Walsall goalkeeper on BBC Radio WM In an ideal world, everyone would get through 90 minutes at that pace. Charlie Lakin has to come on and be ready. He's more of an attacking minded player but he's got to do that job, got to sit in. Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall Jamille Matt's race is run for Walsall and he's replaced by Levi Amantchi for the final 15 minutes. Ryan Stirk is also off and on comes Charlie Lakin. Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall Lee Turnbull Former Chesterfield forward on BBC Radio Sheffield There's been a bit more urgency from Spireites in the last few minutes to find that second goal. It will make all the difference. Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall Saddlers stopper Tommy Simkin has to touch Ashley Palmer's downward header onto the bar and it bounces over. Some concerted pressure from Chesterfield is eventually ended by a handball by Armando Dobra. Simkin is down again - now, call me a cynic but this might be to just take the sting out of things. Frustration boils over behind his goal and something has been thrown onto the pitch which referee Martin Coy hands to his fourth official. .. Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall Jimmy Walker Former Walsall goalkeeper on BBC Radio WM All of a sudden, Walsall look leggy. Liam Gordon has to find his second wind and find it quickly. He's been outstanding. Chesterfield 0-2 Walsall We are into the final quarter of this first leg. It's been relatively quiet after the break apart from that Tom Naylor header which was saved and Lewis Gordon's blocked volley. We've seen very little of Walsall as an attacking force since they went 2-0 up. Taylor Allen (right) celebrates putting Walsall ahead with his 11th goal of the season Walsall made light of their dismal end to the League Two season to take a two-goal advantage into the second leg of their play-off semi-final with Chesterfield. The away side, who won just three of their final 21 league games this season to drop from first to fourth, took the lead when Taylor Allen coolly slotted home from the penalty spot after Liam Mandeville had taken out Liam Gordon. The Saddlers made it 2-0 before the break when Alfie Chang drilled home a fierce low shot from the edge of the area. Tom Naylor and Aribim Pepple forced saves from Tommy Simkin in the Walsall goal either side of Ash Palmer's header which bounced off the crossbar but the home side could not find a goal to take into the second leg. Mat Sadler's men will welcome the Derbyshire side to the Bescot Stadium for the second leg on Friday. Chesterfield had claimed a league-high 28 points in their final 13 matches to snatch seventh place ahead of Salford City on the final day of the season last week. In contrast, Walsall's season ended in heartbreaking fashion as their 1-0 win at Crewe Alexandra, a first since February, looked like being enough to see them go up automatically only for Bradford City to score in the final moments of time added on against Fleetwood Town to pip them to third. The home side began on the front foot and enjoyed the lion's share of possession in the opening exchanges, as Simkin was called into action by Ryan Colclough's well-hit shot in the area. However, the visitors won a penalty kick in one of their first real forays forward when Mandeville's attempt to cut out Allen's incisive pass into Gordon took out the Walsall man and Allen confidently scored from the spot. That rocked Chesterfield and they fell further behind when Chang scored the first goal of his professional career after the hosts could only half clear Gordon's low ball into the middle. Paul Cook's men, who are looking to win successive promotions having won the National League title last season, had the better of things after the break but the away side defended bravely and Stoke loanee Simkin did well when called upon. The result means that of the five play-off first legs played so far not one has been won by the home side. Comments can not be loaded To load Comments you need to enable Java Script in your browser Last Updated 11th May 2025 at 17: 26 Please Note: All times UK. Tables are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made. Manager: Paul Cook Formation: 4 - 3 - 3 Manager: Mat Sadler Formation: 3 - 4 - 2 - 1 Manager: Paul Cook Formation: 4 - 3 - 3 Manager: Mat Sadler Formation: 3 - 4 - 2 - 1 League Two All competitions All competitions All competitions Chesterfield have won just one of their last seven games across all competitions against Walsall (D3 L3), a 2-0 home victory in August 2016 in League One. Walsall have won only one of their last eight away games against Chesterfield in all competitions (D4 L3), a 4-1 victory in League One in March 2016. Chesterfield finished the season unbeaten across their final six league games (W3 D3), while across their final 13 league games of the season only lost once (W8 D4). Walsall ended the League Two season winning just one of their final 14 games (D8 L5), beating Crewe Alexandra 1-0 on the final day of the regular season.   This will be the fourth time that Chesterfield have participated in the Football League play-offs and first time since the 2014-2015 season. After progressing to the final in each of their first two campaigns (1989-90 & 1994-95), the Spireites lost at the semi-final stage 4-0 to Preston North End in their most recent appearance in 2014-15 in League One. This will be Walsall’s fifth time in the Football League play-offs and first time since 2015-16 in League One, losing 6-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals to Barnsley. The only previous time they’ve been in the play-offs in the fourth tier was 1992-93, and were eliminated 9-3 on aggregate in the semi-finals against Crewe.   Only play-off semi-final opponents Walsall (75) scored more goals in League Two this season than Chesterfield (73) from an x G of 62. 98, the fourth-biggest overperformance of any side in the league during the regular season (10. 02). Walsall scored more goals from set pieces than any other side in League Two during the regular season (25), with no player recording more goal involvements from set pieces than the Saddlers’ Taylor Allen (7 goals, 3 assists), including three direct free-kick goals. Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.