Walsall 2 Stevenage 1 - match report

Sawyers made the most of his first start in almost a month when he side-footed home Ashley Hemmings cross early on.

Westcarr then doubled the lead ten minutes into the second half when he drilled a shot past visiting keeper Chris Day.

The visitors were given hope when Francois Zoko fired home following an error by home keeper Richard O'Donnell but then had Lucas Akins dismissed for a punch on Paul Downing.

The Saddlers largely dominated the first half after Sawyers had given them an early leads and they were unfortunate to not lead by more at the break.

Westcarr's goal looked to have set them on their way to a comfortable win but O'Donnell's error ensured a nervy finish.

That said, Akins' mindless dismissal did rather ease the pressure as Dean Smith's side claimed their first win in four games and their first at the Banks's since the opening day of the season.

Smith made one change from the team which drew 1-1 at Colchester last week, with Sawyers handed his first start in almost a month.

Nicky Featherstone dropped the bench as the Saddlers switched to just two central midfielders.

Stevenage made the bright start and would have taken an early lead were it not for the sharp reflexes of Richard O'Donnell, who reacted to push away Jimmy Smith's 25 yard shot after it took a nasty deflection.

Last week's hero Andy Taylor had Walsall's first attempt with a free-kick which beat the wall but not Stevenage keeper Day.

But there was nothing Day could do as Sawyers opened the scoring 11 minutes in. Ashley Hemmings was the architect, holding off the challenge of David Gray on the left before pulling the ball back for Sawyers to slot a first-time, side-footed shot past the keeper.

Zoko was looking particularly sharp for the visitors and Taylor was alert to clear a dangerous Akins cross from the feet of the striker. Ashton then did the same at the other end from a Taylor cross which looked set to provide Westcarr with a tap in. Akins drove over from distance as the visitors frustration grew.

The Saddlers had a definite cutting edge going forward and went close twice in the space of 30 seconds, first Mantom seeing a left-footed shot blocked before Day punched away a Taylor piledriver which looked to have wrong-footed him. Both chances followed excellent spells of possession football from the hosts.

Westcarr then saw two shots blocked, the second after a great charge forward from right-back James Chambers.

Luke Freeman headed wide for the visitors from a Zoko cross but it was the Saddlers who finished the half very much in control.

Stevenage threatened early in the second period with a succession of corners, substitute Greg Tansey hooking over from one.

At the other end, Mantom drove over from distance after Sawyers had miscued an attempted volley, while Hemmings was wide with a shot from the edge of the box before Westcarr doubled the advantage.

Hemmings set Baxendale away through the middle and he played in Westcarr, who drove a shot across Day and in off the far post for his sixth goal of the season.

The Saddlers were rampant and Hemmings was only denied a goal of his own by a late block after he had been teed up at the far post, while Adam Chambers headed wide from a Baxendale corner.

Tansey sent a free-kick just wide for the increasingly desperate hosts and Taylor then fired across the face of goal at the other end, with no Saddler there to get the final touch.

But the visitors were given a lifeline with 19 minutes to go thanks to O'Donnell's error. The keeper failed to hold a long punt forward by Freeman under pressure and the ball fell to Zoko, who fired the loose ball into the unguarded net.

Westcarr was inches away from meeting a Taylor cross and James Chambers drove a shot wide as the Saddlers looked to restore their two goal advantage.

Akins was then shown a straight red card after punching Downing in the stomach off the ball. The incident was missed by referee Andy Madley initially but spotted by the fourth official and the Stevenage striker was dismissed during the next break in play.

Westcarr sent a glancing header wide as the Saddlers sought to seal it and substitute Julian Gray was then denied by Day in stoppage time.

The final chance fell to Westcarr but his attempt from the edge of the box went wide.

Walsall boss Dean Smith said: "It's good to get the win at home, maybe I'll stop being reminded we hadn't won at home for a while now!

"But it was a good, entertaining performance from us today.

"We made a mistake to allow them into a game that they hadn't been part of up until that point. But overall, it was a superb performance from us.

"I never lost faith in Romaine (Sawyers). His all round play is fantastic and has the ability to pick out the gaps and make the most of them.

"The team trust Romaine to make that space and his finish was fantastic today.

"Craig Westcarr had a great game too, he occupied the two central Stevenage defenders for the game.

"Great to see two strikers score but we could have won the game by even more today. But we are happy to get the three points."