Walsall 1 Bury 0 - Report and pictures

The defender turned the ball into his own net in the closing stages following Luke Leahy’s ball into the box to give Dean Keates his first win as Saddlers manager.

In a keenly contested clash at the Banks’s Stadium, both teams had chances to claim all three points.

Kieron Morris, Florent Cuvelier and Justin Shaibu all went close for the Saddlers in a first half they controlled.

But Bury improved after the interval with Zeli Ismail and James Hanson both going close.

It was Walsall who went onto snatch the points though, with Thompson’s header giving the team their first win in four matches.

ANALYSIS

Keates sprung a surprise when naming his starting line-up with striker Justin Shaibu handed only his third start since joining the club on loan from Brentford.

The 20-year-old partnered Amadou Bakayoko up front with the boss opting for a midfield diamond formation that saw Adam Chambers at the base, Erhun Oztumer at the top and Kieron Morris and Florent Cuvelier central.

Bury, under the guidance of Ryan Lowe, lined up in a traditional 4-4-2 system with Zeli Ismail – who enjoyed a successful loan spell at the Banks’s earlier in the campaign – starting up front with James Hanson.

Both teams entered the game in dismal form with the Shakers having lost their last five and Walsall their last four.

It was the visitors though who came flying out the blocks with Liam Roberts smartly parrying away an Adam Thompson headier after Bury forced a corner in the opening few minutes.

After surviving that early scare, the Saddlers began to grab the initiative with Shaibu, Bakayoko, Oztumer and Cuvelier all lively.

And they came close to opening the scoring midway through the half when Luke Leahy’s cross was only half-cleared by Peter Clarke.

Cuvelier pounded on the loose ball with the Belgian then hitting a rasping half-volley which sailed inches past the post.

Moments later, the Saddlers were on the attack again with Shaibu collecting an Oztumer pass before hitting a powerful drive that was beaten away by Murphy.

Keates’ men then remained on the front foot for the rest of the half with Morris a whisker away from giving them the lead in the 41st minute.

After good work from Bakayoko, the winger collected the ball inside the area before twisting his way past a defender and firing a low drive narrowly wide.

It was Bury who again started the half the brighter of the two teams with Neil Danns whipping in a dangerous cross which Hanson headed wide.

If the striker’s effort had been on target, Walsall could have found themselves behind but the Shakes came even close to opening the scoring just seconds later.

After a Saddlers corner, the visitors broke at pace with Ismail tricking his way past both Chambers and Nicky Devlin before sending in a low cross to an unmarked Ryan Cooney.

The midfielder looked destined to just side-foot the ball home but fluffled his lines allowing the Saddlers to clear. Ismail then saw a curing strike from 18-yards palmed away by Roberts.

Walsall hit back with Julien Ngoy – who replaced the injured Shaibu – seizing on the ball after Danns lost possession inside his own area.

The striker then looked to curl a strike into the far corner but Murphy raced off his line to expertly block his effort with his arm.

Suddenly the game had become quite open with Roberts then beating away a Danns strike from 12-yards.

The Shakers then went close again with Hanson glancing a header wide following another dangerous Ismail cross.

Perhaps now fortunate to still be on terms, Walsall needed to regain a foothold on the game and be more aggressive going forward.

And they did respond with Morris, Oztumer and Bakayoko getting in dangerous positions but unable to deliver that crucial final ball.

The Saddlers thought they had won the points with a little under 10 minutes remaining when Oztumer whipped in a dangerous corner.

Bakayoko met the delivery but his header was cleared off the line by Clarke.

But as the clock ticked towards the 90 minute mark, the Saddlers did get that crucial winning goal.

It arrived when Leahy sent in a cross from the right which Thompson then diverted past his own keeper and into the bottom right corner.

KEY MOMENTS

3 Liam Roberts makes a fine diving save to parry away Adam Thompson’s header from a Callum Styles’ corner.

6 Amadou Bakayoko hits a shot on the turn from 25-yards which sails well wide.

9 Bakayoko spins his marker before sending in a cross which Erhun Oztumer heads over.

12 Bakayoko and Oztumer combine with Walsall’s number 10 then sending in a low cross which is smothered by Joe Murphy.

23 Luke Leahy's floated cross is only cleared as far as Florent Cuvelier, who lashes a half-volley wide.

29 Justin Shaibu's rasping drive is parried behind by Murphy at his near post.

32 Kieron Morris' right-footed shot is blocked by Peter Clarke.

37 Shaibu chases down Oztumer's long pass and crosses to Bakayoko. He then lays the ball off for Morris who fires wide.

41 Morris turns well inside the area before firing inches past the post.

47 Neil Danns whips in a dangerous cross which James Hanson heads wide.

49 Ismail cuts inside Adam Chambers and Nicky Devlin before crossing towards an unmarked Ryan Cooney. The midfielder should tap it in but gets his timings wrong.

55 Julien Ngoyfinds space in the box but Murphy smothers his effort.

59 Neil Danns fierce drive from 12-yards is beaten away by Roberts.

60 Oztumer's spectacular left-footed long-range shot flashes just wide.

61 Hanson glances a header agonisingly wide from Ismail's cross.

73 Morris' low cross finds Ngoy, whose shot is blocked.

84 Bakayoko sees a header cleared off the line following a corner.

89 GOAL WALSALL! Adam Thompson diverts a Leahy cross into his own net.

Walsall: L. Roberts, Devlin, Fitzwater, Guthrie, Leahy, Oztumer (K. Roberts 90), Chambers, Cuvelier (Dobson 64), Morris, Shaibu (Ngoy 53), Bakayoko.

Subs not used: Gillespie, Kinsella, Flanagan, Kouhyar.

Bury: Murphy, Thompson, Edwards, Ismail (Miller 79), Styles, Cooney, Ince (Mayor 90), Danns (O’Shea 90), Hanson, Bunn, Clarke.

Bury subs: Ripley, Tutte, Dai, Shotton