Chester City 3-0 Walsall

Fielding a full strength squad including new signings Mark Paston and Michael Standing as well as Danish trialist Kofi Dakinah, the Saddlers found themselves behind inside three minutes - Kevin Ellison heading a right wing cross past debutant Paston. Michael Branch – team mates with Paston and Standing at Bradford last season – then sealed victory before half time with two more clinical finishes, heading past Paston from close range before chipping the ball over the Kiwi keeper. Branch, a one time Premiership performer with Everton, would surely have proved a useful addition to a lightweight Walsall attack. He left financially troubled Bradford and is sure to net goals in League two. Darren Byfield meanwhile may be netting goals in the Championship next season. He was absent from today’s line up and is rumoured to be in advanced talks with another club.

Walsall’s best chance of the half fell to Darren Wrack but the midfielder’s shot was blocked.

A new look Walsall featured more in the second half without managing a consolation goal. Steve Corica curled a free kick against the post after 62 minutes and Matty Fryatt also found himself with a sniff of goal but delayed and the chance was lost. Fryatt also forced the keeper into a reflex save after connecting with a cross from Tai Ateino.

Walsall host Port Vale in exactly three weeks time on the opening day of the new season. Promotion is the aim, but on today’s showing Merson, Walker and Onoura have their work cut out. It may have been our first match since May but against a lower league side, with a full strength squad and only one trialist, fans had hoped for better.

WALSALL: Paston (McKinney), Bazeley (Willetts), Aranalde (Dann), Emblen (Bennett), Roper (Dakinah), Osborn (Jameson), Wrack (Atieno), Standing (Corica), Leitao (Fryatt), Merson (K. Taylor), Birch (D. Taylor).