Gillingham 1-0 Walsall - report: Saddlers fall to first defeat of the season
Walsall fell to their first defeat of the season after they were beaten 1-0 by Gillingham at the Priestfield Stadium.
Bradley Dack scored the only goal of a scrappy affair in the 57th-minute to earn the hosts all three points.
Summer signing Lewis Warrington was handed his full debut at the expense of the suspended Brandon Comley.
Walsall otherwise named the same team which started their 2-1 win over Swindon Town at Bescot in the opening fixture.
Gillingham switched to a back-three with defender Andy Smith replacing attacking midfielder Jonny Williams.
Neither side were able to take control of the opening exchanges and it descended into a pretty scrappy affair.
Charlie Lakin came closest for Walsall when he was teed up by Jonny Stuttle but the midfielder blazed his effort over the crossbar from the edge of the box.
Dack posed the biggest attacking threat for Gillingham - volleying over from the edge of the box and scuffing another finish wide from a tight angle.
The Gills started the second half positively with big target man Josh Andrews providing them with more a focal point in attack following his half-time introduction.
Dack gave Gillingham the lead just before the hour-mark when he provided the finishing touches to a chaotic goalmouth scramble.
Remeao Hutton launched a long throw into the penalty area, which Walsall could only partially clear. Smith worked the ball into the path of Dack who drilled a low finish beyond the reach of Watford loanee Myles Roberts.
Sadler made a triple change midway into the second half with the introductions of Courtney Clarke, Jamille Matt and Josh Gordon.
Australian midfielder Jake Hollman was also thrown into the action shortly after, before Albert Adomah came on for the closing stages, as Walsall switched to a 4-3-3.
The subs failed to swing the pendulum in the Saddlers' favour and Gordon had the best opportunity which he struck tamely into Morris' midriff.
Teams
Gillingham (3-4-3): Morris; Smith, Masterson (Gale 61), Ogie; Hutton, McKenzie, Little (c), Clark; Dack (Coleman 70), Nevitt (Myllie 77), Gbode (Andrews 46).
Not used: Turner, Williams, Kumbeni.
Walsall (3-1-4-2): Roberts; Browne, Flint (c), Weir (Adomah 82); Warrington (Hollman 77); Barrett, Jellis (Clarke 66), Lakin, Hancock; Pressley (Matt 66), Stuttle (Gordon 66).
Not used: Hornby, Farquharson.
Referee: Ross Martin
Attendance: 6,498 (372)
