Walsall beat Chesterfield to seal spot in League Two play-off final

Walsall reached the League Two play-off final after sealing a 4-1 aggregate victory over Chesterfield.

Leading 2-0 from the first leg, Walsall got the job done in relatively comfortable fashion, as Charlie Lakin and Levi Amantchi scored in a 2-1 second-leg win.

They will face AFC Wimbledon or Notts County in the final, with the Dons leading 1-0 heading into their second leg at lunchtime on Saturday.

Walsall’s scars from second half of the season heal over

It was a performance of battling resolve from Walsall. Such a challenging 2025 that has seen them fall into a position where they shouldn’t really be, needing the play-offs to gain promotion.

Back in January they were 12 points clear at the top of the table, before a remarkable collapse saw them finish fourth on final day.

But they set their stall out early in the second leg with their two-goal lead. Discipline, hardwork, stamina, and tell Chesterfield they had to come and break them down. The Spireites simply could not.

All the goals came late. Lakin headed in on 81 minutes to ensure there would be no comeback from the away side.

Armando Dobra then grabbed a late consolation for Chesterfield, but they were still beaten in the tie, as Albert Adomah grabbed his second assist with some wonderful footwork and a cross to tee up Amantchi’s close-range header.

Sadler: It’s great to have a night like this

Walsall boss Mat Sadler on Sky Sports Football:

“There were a couple of hairy moments but in the main I thought we did exactly what we wanted to do. The game plan played out how we wanted it to.

“We’ve got an unbelievable group of players, an unbelievable group of people. We’ve just got a real togetherness about the place and that was never not the case. All the late goals we scored showed that togetherness we have.

“You go through the tough times and then it makes it a little bit sweeter when you have good nights and moments like this.

“It’s great to have a night like this with the stadium full as the way it was and just great to have these moments as players because we’re a very young team in the main – apart from Albert there with his snake hips!

“We’ve got to do our work, got to make sure we prepare properly and the same for the lads. They need to relax now, have a couple of days off and then come back firing ready on Monday.”

‘Sadler got his game plan spot on’

Dave Edwards on Sky Sports Football:

“It’s been an incredible performance from Walsall. The adversity they’ve gone through over the last four, five months has been hard for Mat Sadler and his team to gather their thoughts and come into this play-off campaign rejuvenated. But that’s what they’ve done.

“The win at Crewe [on the final day] was important, though other results didn’t go their way, but from there, the clean sheet and the performance away at Chesterfield is what won them this tie, that’s what set the foundations of what we’re seeing right now.

“He got his game plan spot on; absorb pressure, counter-attack with such efficiency and quality. He’s got a team of players there – not just the 11 on the pitch, but the substitutes that came on as well – who gave absolutely everything for him and this football club.”

Paul Cook: We had to score first

Chesterfield boss Paul Cook on Sky Sports Football:

“I’m devastated. But I think the biggest thing of the night is it’s Walsall’s night and you’ve got to respect that.

“We did our best, and when you come to a ground and do your best you can’t ask for more. We wish them well at Wembley.

“There’s no point in us debating anything else because the reality is we’re out. We had to score first, it would have changed the atmosphere in the stadium, and we couldn’t do that.”