Stirk cancels Eisa stunner as Walsall and Grimsby draw

Ryan Stirk’s equaliser cancelled out Abo Eisa’s latest thunderbolt as Walsall and Grimsby shared the points in an entertaining 1-1 draw.

Eisa’s fourth goal in three games looked set to give the Mariners victory as he scored from 25 yards for a third straight match but Stirk lashed home from close range late on.

Walsall’s Ross Tierney could have had a hat-trick inside the opening 10 minutes but glanced one header over and had another saved by Jake Eastwood, who also foiled him one-on-one.

An unmarked Oisin McEntee headed Chris Hussey’s corner wide before Eastwood tipped a Tom Knowles shot on to the bar and saved Freddie Draper’s 20-yarder.

Grimsby went ahead with their first real shot in the 52nd minute as Eisa’s 25-yard stunner flew in.

Eisa almost added a similarly spectacular second, his curler grazing the bar, before Saddlers keeper Owen Evans tipped over Danny Rose’s header.

Walsall levelled after 81 minutes as Tierney’s shot dropped for Stirk to lash home from six yards and it stayed 1-1 despite Hussey receiving a second yellow for fouling Toby Mullarkey in time added on.