Walsall 3 Fleetwood 1 - Report and pictures
Walsall cranked up the pressure on Burton Albion in the race for automatic promotion with a 3-1 victory over Fleetwood at the Banks's Stadium.
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Jon Whitney's side turned on the style in front of the Sky cameras with goals from Tom Bradshaw and Paul Downing giving them a 2-0 lead inside the opening 20 minutes.
A perfectly placed Romaine Sawyers strike extended the lead further in the second-half, before substitute Devante Cole grabbed a late consolation for the visitors.
The result means if Walsall win by a two goal margin at Port Vale on Sunday and Nigel Clough's Brewers lose to Doncaster, the Saddlers will win automatic promotion to the Championship.
With his team on the hunt for goals, boss Whitney named the same attacking team that secured a 2-1 victory over West Midlands rivals Shrewsbury Town.
It meant the Saddlers continued to operate in a 4-1-4-1 formation with Milan Lalkovic, Romaine Sawyers, Kieron Morris and Anthony Forde all starting in midfield.
For Fleetwood, Nathan Pond became the club's all-time record appearance holder in what was his 422nd outing for the Cod Army.
But there was no place in the squad for influential attacker Wes Burns, who missed out with a hamstring injury.
Fleetwood entered the game knowing a point would be enough to retain their League One status and relegate rivals Blackpool in the process.
It was Walsall, though, who came flying out the blocks with Bradshaw putting his side ahead inside two minutes with a wonderfully-guided finish.
Morris sent Jason Demetriou away down the right with the defender delivering a teasing cross, which the Welshman expertly swept into the top corner and beyond the reach of goalkeeper Chris Maxwell.
The Saddlers had started like a steam train and they almost doubled their lead minutes later, when Demetriou hit a rasping drive from 20-yards which flashed inches past the post.
Whitney's side were dominating all over the pitch, with Bradshaw almost grabbing his second in the 14th minute.
Morris tricked his way past a Fleetwood defender and delivered a cross which Bradshaw headed straight at Maxwell. Either side of the goalkeeper and it would have been 2-0.
But, minutes later, Walsall did double their lead when Forde sent in a low corner and Downing escaped the attentions of his marker to prod home from close range.
Walsall remained in the ascendency as the clock ticked past the half-hour mark, but with Fleetwood slowly growing into the game.
The visitors threatened for the first time in the 34th minute when Amari'i Bell hit a low effort from the corner of the box, which goalkeeper Neil Etheridge did well to tip around the post.
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From the resultant corner, James Ryan smashed a half-volley wide of the post from 18-yards.
The Saddlers were still comfortably the better side though and they came close to extending their lead further just minutes before the break.
Forde's free-kick took a big deflection and looked set to loop over the back-peddling Maxwell, but the goalkeeper did well to get a hand on the ball and spectacularly push it over the bar.
That chance proved the last meaningful action of the half, with Whitney's men having been outstanding in the opening 20 minutes and very good for the rest of the half.
Fleetwood made an early change inside the first few minutes of the second-half, with Marcus Nilsson replacing Stephen Jordan at centre-back.
It was the Cod Army who started on the front foot, with Antoni Sarcevic meeting Ball's cross but planting a header straight at Etheridge.
Walsall responded with Bradshaw a whisker away from connecting with a wonderfully-inviting Demetriou ball.
The unmarked Welsh striker then powerfully headed over after connecting with Forde's corner.
Minutes later, though, and the Saddlers were three goals to the good with Sawyers netting for the first time since October with a perfectly-placed strike.
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The St Kitts & Nevis international collected the ball 20-yards from goal and arrowed a low drive, which clipped the inside of the post before nestling in the back of the net.
Walsall were now rampant once again, with Bradshaw thinking he had netted his 20th goal of the campaign when he guided Forde's corner towards goal.
But Maxwell was equal to the effort and just managed to get a hand on the ball to block the effort front point-blank range.
Whitney made his first change shortly after with Morris making way for Sam Mantom. Jordy Hiwula then replaced Lalkovic.
But, with a little over five minutes remaining, Fleetwood grabbed a goal that could still prove crucial to Walsall's ambitions to win automatic promotion.
Sub Cole collected the ball 25-yards out and dashed towards goal, before curling an unstoppable strike that nestled into the bottom corner.
Determined to restore their three goal lead, Walsall began throwing men forward, with Maxwell twice having to race off his line to prevent Bradshaw and Hiwula from getting in.
Ball then almost caught out Etheridge with an outrageous 30-yard lob, but the Philippines international just got enough on the ball to force it wide.
In four minutes of added on time, Walsall went in search of a fourth to no avail but with the victory seeing them move back up to third in League One.
