Walsall 3 Tranmere 1 - match report

The 28-year-old put the hosts ahead inside the opening two minutes when he converted Adam Chambers' cross from close range and then set up Milan Lalkovic to add the second.

Andy Robinson brought the visitors back into the game with a stunning free-kick five minutes before the break.

But the Saddlers were not to be denied victory and Westcarr made the game safe 20 minutes from time with his second.

It was the perfect start for Dean Smith's men, with the Saddlers new-look frontline shining brightest.

The hosts dominated the opening half and could have been out of sight but for some very good saves from visiting keeper Owain Fon Williams.

Summer loan signing Lalkovic got the nod to start up front for the Saddlers, with Mal Benning replacing the injured Andy Taylor at left-back.

The visitors line-up included a new look forward line in Max Power and Ryan Lowe. Former Albion midfielder Jason Koumas was on the bench.

And the sun was soon shining on the Saddlers as they made a dream start to the season. Ashley Hemmings won a corner on the left and James Baxendale's delivery eventually fell to Chambers at the far post, who drilled a low cross into the danger zone for Westcarr to drive home from six yards out.

The home side were dominant and Chambers struck a shot just wide, before skipper Andy Butler came within inches of making it two when he nodded a Baxendale cross just the wrong side of the far post.

Busy Lalkovic was causing plenty of problems and forced several corners, while Fon Williams had to be alert to gather a blistering Sam Mantom free-kick at the second attempt with Westcarr poised to pounce.

The visiting keeper was then forced into two fine saves in the space of a few seconds, first pushing away a deflected Baxendale effort and then repeating the trick with another Mantom shot.

But there was nothing he could do to stop Lalkovic making it 2-0, 25 minutes in. The Slovakian under-21 international collected a forward ball and exchanged passes with Westcarr, before driving a first time shot past the keeper and into the far bottom corner.

The visitors, looking shell-shocked by the Saddlers blistering start, then managed their first effort of the game but Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro blazed over from eight yards after the hosts had failed to clear a corner.

At the other end Westcarr twice went close to adding a third, the second time shooting straight at Fon Williams after more great work from Lalkovic.

The keeper then struggled to hold a Baxendale shot after another fine Saddlers raid forward, before Robinson brought Tranmere back into the game with a goal out of nothing.

Evan Horwood won a free-kick on the left wing near the box when he was felled by James Chambers and Robinson stepped up to curl a powerful pinpoint shot past O'Donnell and in off the inside of the far post.

Hemmings went close to restoring the Saddlers two goal advantage almost immediately but his shot from distance was just wide.

And for all the Saddlers dominance, Tranmere could have been level at the break but O'Donnell was sharp to tip over Lowe's effort from the edge of the box.

The second half began at a much slower pace than the first and a good ten minutes had passed by the time Akpa Akpro had the first attempt, drilling wide from a good position after being played in by Lowe.

Walsall's first opening came when Lalkovic won a free-kick out on the right wing and Butler nodded Hemmings' deliver wide of the far post.

The Saddlers just couldn't re-find the rhythm of the first half and their attacking efforts in the early part of the half were summed up by a Hemmings free-kick which hit the executive boxes in the middle of the Tile Choice Stand.

But when they did finally hit their stride, they did so with panache and added the third with the move of the match. After great work by Downing, Mantom and Baxendale deep in the Saddlers half, Hemmings fed Westcarr who raced forward before exchanging passes with Lalkovic and dinking a finish past Fon Williams.

Lalkovic shot wide and had another effort deflected wide and Butler headed a Mantom corner wide as the Saddlers pressed for a fourth.

Koumas, who had come on midway through the second half, almost clawed one back for the visitors with a free-kick which hit the bar deep into stoppage time but it was very much the home side's day.