Scunthorpe 0 Walsall 1 - Report and pictures

On his landmark anniversary, Smith will have been delighted with the way his side played attacking football in the first half but dug deep to protect their lead in the second period.

The result means Walsall remain second in the table, but just one point behind Burton who drew 0-0 with Sheffield United.

Smith sprung a selection surprise before kick-off with Jordan Cook coming in for his first league start since the opening day draw against Oldham.

The 25-year-old partnered Tom Bradshaw in attack with the boss plumping for a 3-5-2 formation which saw Romaine Sawyers operate in midfield.

For the Iron, under the management of former Saddler Mark Robins, Dutch striker Kevin van Veen was recalled to the starting XI after being benched for Saturday's loss at Southend.

Walsall: Etheridge, Demetriou, O'Connor, Downing, Taylor, Henry, Mantom, Chambers, Sawyers, Bradshaw, Cook (Flanagan 76).

Subs not used: MacGillivray (gk), Preston, Baxendale, Morris, Lalkovic.

Scunthorpe: Daniels, Wiseman, King, Wallace, Laird, Bishop, Ness (McAllister - 45), Lolley (Adelakun 78), Van Veen (Wotton 70), McSheffrey, Madden.

After a quiet opening 10 minutes, Walsall slowly started going through the gears and were soon enjoying a lot of possession around the Scunthorpe box.

But it was the home side who created the game's first real chance when winger Joe Lolley tricked his way past Andy Taylor and into the box.

The Huddersfield loanee, who only signed on Monday, looked to curl the ball around Neil Etheridge but the keeper got down well to claim.

Buoyed by the move, the Iron came forward again with van Veen finding Lolley with a brilliant cross field ball.

The winger steadied himself before whipping in a cross towards Paddy Madden which Paul Downing expertly nipped in to clear.

Determined to regain the initiative, Walsall hit back with Luke Daniels forced into a sprawling one-handed save after Cook met a fine cross from Rico Henry.

From the resultant corner, Bradshaw planted a header inches past the post.

Smith's men now had their tails up and they took the lead with a wonderfully worked goal in the 27th minute.

Fine build-up play saw the ball worked to Cook who, under pressure from two defenders, managed to bustle his way to the edge of the box and then brilliantly slip-in the darting Henry.

The 18-year-old then showed all his composure to dust off a last-ditch tackle and produce a delicate chip over Luke Daniels and into the bottom right corner.

Minutes later and the Saddlers almost doubled their lead. Cook turned Murray Wallace inside the box and aimed a strike at the top corner which hit the side netting.

At the other end, van Veen drew a fine save from Etheridge with a curling left-footed effort from just inside the box.

In a bid to get to back on level terms, Scunthorpe continued to press for last five minutes of the half.

But the likes of Sam Mantom, Adam Chambers, Andy Taylor and James O'Connor were always in the right place and the right time to snuff out any danger.

The Iron continued on the front foot after the break with Gary McSheffrey delivering two fine left-wing crosses into the box.

The first was flicked clear by the boot of Taylor and the second hacked away by Chambers after Etheridge failed to claim.

Walsall were struggling to deal with the treat down the left-hand side and Scunthorpe should have got back on terms when another fine McSheffrey cross was missed by O'Connor.

Paddy Madden was loitering behind the centre-back but was surprised to get the ball and diverted wide with the goal gapping.

A snap shot from Cook aside, Walsall were coming under a lot of pressure mid-way through the second half.

And with the home crowd on the back or referee Paul Tierney, goalkeeper Etheridge was booked for timewasting after going down in an off the ball incident.

With his team in need of a change, Smith brought on Reece Flanagan for Cook with around 15 minutes remaining - the boss pushing Sawyers into a more advanced role.

Yet while Robins' side continued to enjoy the lion's share of possession, they were struggling to create any clear cut chances with Walsall defending well.

And with just two minutes to play it was the Saddlers who almost doubled their advantage with Taylor sending a curling free-kick from 20-yards just over.

With the fourth official indicating three minutes of added time, Walsall should have wrapped up the points when Bradshaw turned his man in the box before blazing wildly over.

Henry then had an even better chance when he was slipped in by Mantom but fired wide.

But the misses didn't prove costly with Tierney blowing his whistle seconds later to secure three precious away points for Smith's men.