Bury 2 Walsall 1

Walsall's five-game unbeaten run was ended by resilient Bury as the Saddlers began the New Year with a bump rather than a bang.

Mat Sadler's own goal and Peter Sweeney's free kick - although former Walsall captain Mark Hughes could have got the final touch – downed the Saddlers after Jamie Paterson equalised.

Bury's winner came just one minutes and 23 seconds after Paterson's 39th minute leveller and Walsall never recovered at Gigg Lane.

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It left them just a point above the League One drop zone after a patchy performance but, arguably, the Saddlers perhaps deserved a point for their battling efforts.

Ryan Jarvis, Darryl Westlake and Andy Halliday all started with Jon Macken and Richard Taundry dropped and Manny Smith serving a one-match ban.

It was Jarvis' first start since the1-1 draw at Wycombe in October and he was handed the lone frontman role with Paterson playing off him as the Saddlers lined up 4-4-1-1.

The Saddlers may have been solid but they rarely threatened in a slow opening which saw the hosts dominate possession.

Walsall were rough and ready but didn't have the sophistication to break down an organised Bury outfit – who forced Jimmy Walker into the game's first save when he parried Mike Jones' low drive.

And the Shakers cashed in on their dominance with the opener, however fortuitous, on 20 minutes.

Liverpool loanee Amoo – who tormented the Saddlers' in Bury's 4-2 win at the Banks's in November – wriggled clear on the right his cross struck the helpless Sadler and looped beyond a stranded Walker.

It was all Bury deserved and Walker had to be alert nine minutes later when he tipped Jones' cushioned lob wide.

But the Saddlers – limp and limited early– suddenly came to life and Adam Chambers should have equalised on 34 minutes but fired straight at Cameron Belford when he arrived unmarked onto Halliday's corner.

It mattered little though as Walsall levelled five minutes later when Nicholls was tripped and Paterson curled in the free kick from 25 yards – although Belford should have done better.

Yet just a minute later Bury regained the lead when Walker tipped Sweeney's free kick onto to the post and former Saddlers skipper Hughes made sure – although Sweeney claimed the goal.

Walsall could have even capped a madcap few minutes with a second equaliser but Belford tipped Nicholls' low drive wide.

The Shakers continued their impressive, slick, football after the break but the Saddlers began to show greater intent – even if they struggled to create.

Jarvis and Anton Peterlin were sacrificed for Claude Gnakpa and Richard Taundry and Gnakpa fired wide from 18-yards on 63 minutes.

But the Saddlers were still too disjointed, relying on fits and starts than real concerted pressure to find a way back into the game.

Despite a lot of bluster the key element in the final third – which has been missing for much of the season – was again lacking.

Paterson and Nicholls failed to inspire up front and while Walsall went toe-to-toe with Bury it wasn't enough.

Steven Schumacher shot wide for the hosts and Gnakpa glanced wide in injury time but there were no late heroics.