Walsall 2 Bury 4

Wretched Walsall were buried by Bury after being blitzed by three super Shakers strikes.

It dropped them into League One's drop zone for the first time this season after Rochdale's late win at Preston.

Stunners from Peter Sweeney, Mike Jones and Steven Schumacher sunk the Saddlers, who had levelled in the first-half through Jon Macken's penalty.

Lenell John-Lewis' late strike compounded Walsall's woes before George Bowerman scored his first Saddlers goal in injury time.

It was their sixth home defeat of the season – in all competitions – and left them with just one win in their last 15 games.

And, bar a bright 20 minutes, the Saddlers rarely shone, especially in a shoddy second-half where they were ran ragged.

Oliver Lancashire replaced the suspended Andy Butler in the Saddlers' only change, while former Banks's Stadium trainee Andy Bishop started up front for the Shakers.

Ex-Walsall captain Mark Hughes, at Bury after a spell at now defunct North Queensland Fury in Australia, was banned.

The Saddlers were looking to arrest their slide but were left stunned after just six minutes when Sweeney struck one of the goals of the season.

There looked little danger when the former Walsall loanee received the ball, but the Saddlers failed to close him down and he unleashed a 30-yard rocket which flew past goalkeeper David Grof and in off the bar.

Paterson and Macken failed to test Cameron Belford in the away goal, as the Saddlers launched a muted response.

Neat build-up was often wasted, as the hosts lacked the tempo or penetration to threaten their organised visitors.

But they hauled themselves level on 28 minutes when Paterson tricked his way into the area and was felled by Shane Byrne, leaving Macken to send Belford the wrong way from the spot.

It roused the hosts and Wilson drew two fine saves from Belford, as the unsteady Shakers were briefly left floundering.

But Walsall failed to capitalise as Bury rode out the mini storm and Grof needed to be alert to parry Byrne's rising drive on 38 minutes.

Paterson, the Saddlers most creative first-half outlet, flashed a volley wide 60 seconds later as the hosts finished the half strongly.

But, just 56 seconds after the re-start, the visitors regained the lead with another superb goal.

Schumacher worked the ball wide to Jones who cut back, before firing a delicious curling effort into the top corner from 20-yards.

The Shakers – led by Liverpool loanee David Amoo – took control as Walsall began to wilt and again struggled to create meaningful chances.

Claude Gnakpa laboured out wide while Macken was increasingly isolated and the Saddlers fell further behind on 63 minutes to another super effort.

Sweeney played a quick corner out to the waiting Schumacher and the midfielder drilled into the corner from 20-yards.

It killed the Saddlers' challenge and Grof saved well from Bishop with seven minutes remaining, after Amoo carved the visitors open.

But substitute John-Lewis rounded off a dominant Bury second-half performance when his drive beat Grof at his near post four minutes from time for 4-1.

The Saddlers, at least, had the final say though when substitute Bowerman bundled in his first senior strike in stoppage time.

Then, after the final whistle, Manny Smith had to be pulled away by the stewards from John-Lewis, as tempers flared.