THE SADDLERS made FA Cup progress with a solid 2-0 victory over League Two side, Shrewsbury Town.
The opening goal came on ten minutes when Tommy Mooney fed Daniel Fox out wide on the left and his cross was perfect for the head of Michael Ricketts who reacted the quickest to plant a firm header home.
Another neat move on the left-hand side saw Mooney combine well with Darren Wrack but The Shrews were able to clear as he looked to latch on to a return ball inside the area.
At the other end, Ince did well to block from Stuart Nicholson on 25 minutes as his pace took him away from Fox. It was the visitors' first real sight of goal.
Just before the half-hour mark, Wrack set up Ricketts who blazed over before Edrissa Sonko did well to find the on-loan Oldham man whose powerful strike deflected into the path of Mooney but he put the chance over.
The Saddlers were starting to get their passing game together in the latter stages of the half as we went in at the break one goal to the good.
Shrewsbury made a positive start to the second period as Michael Symes set up Nicholson for a low effort from close range that Ince did well to scramble away.
It was a lively start with the action swinging from end-to-end. There was a real let off for Walsall when The Shrews broke away on the counter-attack and had men over as Ince saved the day by doing just enough to block.
With 54 minutes on the clock, Sonko was booked for a foul and the resulting free-kick was delivered invitingly into the danger zone where The Saddlers had men back to bravely clear in front of goal.
Ricketts found Mooney inside the area in the next attack and he in turn set Sonko off in chase, however Glynn Garner in the visitors' goal pushed him wide. As the ball came back into the danger zone, Bradley saw his header land wide with the 'keeper floundering.
There was a change as Ishmel Demontagnac replaced Sonko before Fox's corner was met with a header from Scott Dann, up from the back, that was deflected wide. The resulting flag-kick was cleared as far as Demontagnac and he hit a sweet strike that swerved beyond Garner to double our advantage.
On 72 minutes Danny Hall's low effort landed wide for The Shrews, who had the wind taken out of their sails following the second goal.
The Saddlers had to make a change when Ricketts was forced out of the action to be replaced by Troy Deeney. David McDermott then came on for Paul Hall.
An intelligent ball in the final minute from Mooney put Demontagnac through only for him to fire over as he closed in on goal.
In injury time, McDermott broke out of defence to find Mooney but he eventually fired over as Richard Money's men found themselves in Sunday's second round draw.
The Saddlers will be ball number 25 for the draw, which takes place on BBC1 following Sunday's live television game.
PHOTOS: David Linney Photography
