Walsall 0 Notts County 3

Shambolic Walsall slumped back to the bottom of League One after a catastrophic defeat to Notts County.

Devoid of any desire or quality, the Saddlers were comprehensively outplayed by a slick Magpies side – who were only six points ahead of Walsall at the start of play.

Early goals from Craig Westcarr and Lee Miller put them in charge, before former Birmingham defender Krystian Pearce added to Walsall's woes in the second-half.

The Saddlers are in disarray with the season in freefall – and fans continually chanting for the removal of manager Chris Hutchings.

A 1-0 win at Charlton three weeks ago merely masked the problems and, with further gutless displays, relegation is a certainty.

And with the exception of Ryan McGivern – in for the injured Richard Taundry – it was the same team who won at The Valley.

The Magpies were missing former Albion hitman Lee Hughes – out with flu – but included former Saddler Ben Davies in midfield, while Karl Hawley was on the bench.

County arrived unbeaten in their last four, having missed most of the big freeze during December, and started sharply.

Davies drove wide after seven minutes but, two minutes later, the visitors took the lead in controversial fashion.

Mike Edwards lofted the ball forward to Westcarr – who appeared to be offside – but play was allowed to continue.

The former Nottingham Forest striker advanced into the area and his shot was palmed in by Jonny Brain – the goalkeeper gifting the visitors the lead.

Edwards headed wide soon after as the Magpies took charge and Westcarr tested Brain again after 16 minutes but, seconds later, they went 2-0 up as the Saddlers' defence went AWOL.

Alan Judge launched a deep cross from the right and Miller – in acres of space – planted a simple header into the corner.

Sharper and first to everything, County bossed the sloppy Saddlers but Steve Jones almost bagged a lifeline on 25 minutes, latching onto Brain's long clearance only for away goalkeeper Rob Burch to turn his effort wide.

Burch then collected Julian Gray's low strike, but it was merely a cursory effort during a wretched first-half.

Brain partly atoned for his error with a fine low save from Thomas Ince four minutes before the break, as the Magpies threatened to open Walsall up at will.

Unsurprisingly, the players left at half-time to a chorus of jeers but Matt Richards almost turned them to cheers, curling a free kick just over two minutes after the re-start.

Alex Nicholls should have pulled one back on 54 minutes but shot woefully wide from 12 yards with the goal gaping, after Will Grigg's effort fell kindly to him.

It summed up the Saddlers' afternoon – desperately lacking quality with little hope of recovery - and after 56 minutes the visitors went 3-0 up.

Davies swung over a corner and former Blues man Pearce nodded in at the near post.

Ince, son of County manager Paul, hit the woodwork with 14 minutes remaining with Walsall's team broken men.

Oliver Lancashire headed over in a rare home attack, before Davies should have added a fourth when he blazed wide on 81 minutes.

By then Walsall's fans were streaming out of the Banks's Stadium – and the rest only stayed behind to jeer.