WALSALL, England (Interstat) — Walsall opened its League Two campaign with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Newport County on Saturday, securing three points with a stoppage-time winner from Alexander Pattison at Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium.

The match, which defied a pregame projection of a draw by Interstat, was decided in the seventh minute of added time. Pattison, the Walsall midfielder who was instrumental throughout, capped a standout individual performance by netting the decisive goal. His late strike came after Newport County had clawed back from an early deficit and appeared poised to escape with a point.

The home side established control early, but the game was punctuated by a flurry of first-half cautions. Newport’s Sven Sprangler was booked in just the second minute, setting a physical tone. Walsall’s Alfie Chang received a yellow card in the 30th minute.

The breakthrough arrived in the 38th minute. Substitute Harrison Biggins, who had entered the fray, put Walsall ahead 1-0 with a well-taken finish. The assist came from Pattison, initiating his influential night.

Newport emerged from the interval with renewed purpose and found an equalizer in the 62nd minute. Forward Daniel Kanu leveled the score at 1-1, converting a chance to silence the home supporters.

The contest grew increasingly tense and fragmented following the goal, with a remarkable cluster of three yellow cards issued simultaneously in the 58th minute to Newport’s Cameron Evans and Mason Hancock and Walsall’s Ben Lloyd. Walsall’s Charlie Lakin was also cautioned later in the half.

As the match entered its dying moments, with the score locked and Newport seemingly having done enough to secure a draw, Pattison delivered the final blow. He found space in the final third and fired home in the 90+7 minute to send the Bescot Stadium into raptures. The goal, assisted by Charlie Lakin, secured a winning start for Walsall under the League Two lights. Pattison was subsequently shown a yellow card in the aftermath of the celebratory frenzy.

The result provides an immediate boost to Walsall’s season, giving the club a perfect start with one win and no losses in League Two play. For Newport County, the late defeat marks a harsh beginning to the campaign, leaving them still in search of their first points and first victory.

Statistically, the outcome aligned with one key pregame metric but not another. While Interstat’s ELO system had given Walsall an 80 percent probability to win, the organization’s game simulator had predicted a 1-1 draw, a forecast the Exiles nearly validated until Pattison’s last-gasp intervention.

The match showcased the impact of substitutes, with Walsall’s Harrison Biggins scoring and Newport’s Cameron Evans and Sven Sprangler each recording an assist. Defenders also contributed to the attack, as Newport’s Mason Hancock tallied an assist on Kanu’s goal.

Walsall will look to build on this momentum in its next fixture, while Newport County must regroup quickly after a defeat defined by its cruel, late timing.