Walsall 2 Portsmouth 0 - Match analysis and pictures

Cotton is the usual present for second anniversaries but the Saddlers instead handed Smith the points he craved as they took a giant leap to safety.

It even came after an opening which was more tin than diamond but after Febian Brandy and Will Grigg netted it was never in doubt.

The result underlined the progress being made under Smith.

It was sadly fitting that on FA Cup third-round weekend the Saddlers moved 14 points clear of fourth bottom Portsmouth, a club who won the Cup in 2008 and reached the final in 2010.

The year Pompey won at Wembley, Walsall tailed off to finish 12th in League One and their fall has been more dramatic than Walsall's rise in the last two years but the Saddlers are battling within their means rather than spending the cash they don't have.

Two years ago, they were eight points from the safety line despite a 6-1 romp over Bristol Rovers.

Now they are 14th in League One, 14 points above the drop zone and just seven adrift of the play-offs.

They will be no talk of a top-six challenge, but to have gained 35 points at this stage leaves them in some seldom found comfort.

Work is still to be done, but five wins from the next 19 games will surely see the Saddlers safe.

And they will owe much to this run which has revitalised the season, driven by the excellent Adam Chambers, marshalled by the ever-reliable Andy Butler and spearheaded by Grigg's goals

Grigg's eighth of the season last night doubled his tally from last year.

The main criticism is the Northern Ireland starlet just doesn't score enough – highlighted by 16 in 93 games – but they are starting to flow.

And he has been helped by deputies Craig Westcarr, Febian Brandy and Jamie Paterson who have supplied extra goals to lighten the load.

Brandy himself has been a revelation since regaining full fitness and he returned to replace the injured Florent Cuvelier after a one-game ban.

Mal Benning also replaced Andy Taylor, out with a groin injury.

The Saddlers began brightly with Grigg's header claimed by Simon Eastwood inside a minute. Pompey were on a 13 game winless run, but settled well after the early scare with Paul Benson glancing over.

The visitors enjoyed plenty of possession without real penetration while the Saddlers were wasteful.

When they did carve a chance out Sam Mantom's radar was off and his drive skipped wide after 16 minutes.

Portsmouth were asking questions though and Paul Benson should have scored on 19 minutes when, unmarked, he blazed over from Lee Williamson's neat chip.

It was a warning with Brandy, Grigg and Jamie Paterson well shackled by the visitors' defence and seemingly unable to make an impact. But they tapped into Portsmouth's vulnerability against the run of play when Brandy opened the scoring on 28 minutes.

Grigg rose well to flick Paterson's ball on for Brandy to steal in ahead of Mustapha Dumbuya and slide past Eastwood.

Suddenly the Saddlers began to dominate and Walsall doubled their lead on 40 minutes when Brandy latched onto Chambers' through-ball and when his shot was blocked by Eastwood, Grigg followed up from seven yards.

A third would have been decisive but without conceding a killer third Pompey had nothing to lose and began to unsettle the hosts.

Connolly's snapshot was parried by Darlow and Grigg blazed over with a minute remaining.

But the Saddlers were content with two as the relationship with Smith continues to blossom.