Mustafa Tiriyaki’s first-ever goal in league football condemned Walsall to defeat against Tranmere.

Tiriyaki’s late strike restored a lead Rovers had first taken when Robbie Weir spectacularly opened the scoring 58 minutes in.

An Andy Butler header with 17 minutes remaining had given Saddlers fans hope of a useful point.

It looked as though Dean Smith’s men were on for a draw – which would have been a repeat of last season’s visit to the Wirral.

That result kick-started ‘the Great Escape’ in League One.

But their hopes were dashed when the former non-league striker tapped from close range 11 minutes from time.

Smith made just one change from the side that dispatched high-flyers Preston last weekend.

In midfield, Jamie Paterson took the place of winger David Martin, whose loan from Derby County has now expired.

Up front, Smith kept faith with the pairing of Will Grigg and last week’s match-winner Alex Nicholls, while Jon Macken was a welcome addition on the bench after recovering from a hamstring injury.

After a low-key opening, Adam McGurk opened up the Saddlers with a superb drag back.

But the midfielder could not keep his cross-cum-shot under the bar and the chance went begging.

Walsall struggled to maintain possession early on but they remained solid at the back, while Rovers too often pumped the ball forward aimlessly.

Nicholls gave the home side a brief scare 18 minutes in, when he beat two players as he burst through into the final third.

But goalkeeper Owain Fon Williams got down low to smother his low drive from outside the box.

It was as close as the visitors would come to a goal in the first-half as Tranmere grew in confidence.

Jose Baxter drew a comfortable save from goalkeeper Jimmy Walker with a curling effort from the edge of the box.

But Baxter made the veteran keeper work far harder to deny him minutes later with a superb free-kick, which Walker just managed to tip over the bar at full stretch.

Things got worse for Walsall when Smith had to make his first change of the game with just 28 minutes gone.

Adam Chambers was replaced by Richard Taundry, after picking up a suspected ankle injury.

Rovers continued to dominate and McGurk drew another outstanding save from Walker, hammering Lucas Akins’ cross goalwards from the edge of the area.

The former Hednesford player came even closer when his long-range free kick 10 minutes before half-time.

His shot was allowed to bounce through the Walsall penalty area untouched and just shaved the outside of the post with Walker, for once, beaten.

Butler did well to head clear John Welsh’s in-swinging corner kick, which was swooping into the top left hand corner in the final minute of normal time.

Walsall started the second-half with more purpose and Hurst drew a solid save from Fon Williams less than two minutes in.

But an Akins long throw almost broke the deadlock for Rovers. Baxter just couldn’t get a touch to Ash Taylor’s flick on, and the chance was cleared.

But the home side finally found their scoring touch when Weir hammered home from more than 25 yards out.

It was a goal that would not have been out of place up the road at Anfield, as the Northern Irishman fired home from Akins lay off.

Akins was causing real problems and he could have bagged himself a goal, but Walker managed to parry his long range effort just over the bar.

Macken was introduced up front with 25 minutes remaining, replacing the listless Will Grigg.

Claude Gnapka was brought on for Hurst soon after as Dean Smith tried to pull a goal back.

But Rovers should have finished the game when Rovers substitute Zoumana Bakayogo headed wide from Akins’ inviting right wing cross.

It was a big let off and Walsall made the most of it when Butler headed home Jamie Paterson’s cross 17 minutes from time.

But their joy was short-lived as Rovers substitute Tiriyaki, introduced for Enoch Showunmi just two minutes earlier, fired in from close range.

The goal came 11 minutes from time from Bakayogo’s defence-splitting pass.

There was still time for Taundry to rattle the bar with a curling free kick but it was too little, too late as Rovers took the points.