Plymouth 2 Walsall 0

Walsall's survival hopes suffered a hammer blow at Plymouth as the Pilgrims crushed the sloppy Saddlers.

Second-half strikes from Yannick Bolasie and Rory Patterson settled the basement battle to keep the Saddlers third bottom of League One – three points from the safety line.

A first-half onslaught saw Rory Fallon hit the bar and goalkeeper Jimmy Walker twice deny Carl Fletcher as the Saddlers failed to turn up.

Argyle, who stay bottom, haven't been paid since December but showed more grit than their drop rivals to land a sickening blow to the 313 travelling fans.

Walsall failed to muster a serious attack in open play and only Matt Richards' 73rd minute free-kick caused David Button any problems in the Argyle goal.

The Saddlers were rusty after a two week break despite being unchanged from the 1-1 draw at Milton Keynes Dons – with Marc-Antoine Gbarssin deployed as the holding midfielder in a 4-1-4-1 formation.

Despite the solid line-up, the Saddlers failed to contain their hosts and almost fell behind when Fallon's header cannoned off the bar from Simon Walton's corner after 10 minutes.

The striker – who was initially ruled out of the game with a groin injury – then nodded over after Jim Paterson's centre.

Left-back Paterson was causing the Saddlers problems and he fired two drives wide, while Bolasie's effort was claimed by Walker after 27 minutes.

The hosts were bossing the game – with Walsall's lumbering attacking posing few worries – although Button had to be alive to claim Emmanuel Ledesma's low effort.

And the Saddlers almost went ahead in comical fashion when Button dropped the ball – under pressure from Darren Byfield – but his clearance hit Julian Gray and bounced behind.

The winger then slashed wide when Button came and missed a corner but it was a rare sight of goal for the visitors, who were indebted to Walker just before the break.

The veteran goalkeeper – making his 499th Walsall appearance – thwarted Fletcher when the midfielder failed to make clean contact from 12 yards before tipping his header wide on 44 minutes.

Walker was the hero again 60 seconds into the second half when – at full stretch – he tipped Joe Mason's header over after the 19-year-old escaped the Walsall backline.

Even Walker, though, wasn't invincible and the Saddlers eventually fell behind in the 51st minute when Bolasie bundled in from four yards after Mason's miscue.

Manager Dean Smith responded by hauling off the ineffective Byfield and Ledesma for Jordan Cook and Jon Macken, as the Saddlers switched to 4-3-3.

Richards' 30-yard free kick had Button scrambling 17 minutes from time but the game was settled two minutes from the end, when Patterson caught Richards out and ran through to sidefoot past Walker.