Forest Green Rovers 2 Walsall 0 - Report
Walsall fell to their first defeat in seven games at second from bottom Forest Green Rovers.
Mat Sadler's men were searching for a sixth league win in a row for the first time in 19 years but former Walsall man Emmanuel Osadebe tapped in at the back post after Christian Doidge had crashed a powerful effort against the post in the 63rd minute.
Isaac Hutchinson was denied from the penalty spot after Joe Foulkes was upended inside the box. Forest Green goalkeeper Vicente Reyes got a vital right glove to the ball before Hutchinson inexplicably blazed over from point-blank range with the goal at his mercy.
Walsall's afternoon went from bad to worse when David Okagbue was shown a second yellow card for stopping Doidge's forward run in its tracks with a cynical challenge.
And the hosts added a second nine minutes from time when Kyle McAllister tucked his penalty into the bottom corner after Jackson Smith had caught Doidge inside the box.
Walsall, who had never lost on three previous visits to the New Lawn, named an unchanged XI for the third game on the bounce.
Opponents Forest Green made one change from their 1-0 defeat at Grimsby Town last time out with Ryan Innis returning from suspension as Dom Bernard dropped to the bench.
Tom Knowles was forced off with an early knock, whilst Jamille Matt, on his Rovers return, needed to be replaced at the break.
Forest Green posed a threat on the counter-attack with Charlie McCann stinging the palms of Jackson Smith from the edge of the box before Christian Doidge failed to get a toe to McAllister's low cross in the first half.
Josh Gordon had a golden chance to send Walsall into the break ahead. Hutchinson broke free down the right and hung a delightful cross into the box but Josh Gordon was unable to sort his feet and guided his finish straight into the gloves of Reyes.
Walsall had two opportunities after the break but Reyes produced two stops to deny Josh Gordon one-on-one and Faal's downward header from Foulkes' cross.
But Forest Green claimed back-to-back home wins to end Walsall's six-match unbeaten run and climb to within two points of safety.
Walsall (3-1-4-2): Smith; Adegboyega, Okagbue, Allen; Comley; Knowles (Foulkes 16), Hutchinson (Tierney 89), Earing (James-Taylor 89), L Gordon; J Gordon, Matt (Faal 46).
Not used: Evans, Riley, Stirk.
Forest Green (3-5-2): Reyes; Innis, Keogh (Bernard 80), Moore-Taylor; Thompson, Bunker (Omotoye 59), McCann, Osadebe, Robson; McAllister, Doidge.
Not used: Searle, Lavinier, Maddox, Robertson, Jones, Johnson.
Referee: Thomas Kirk
Attendance: 2,283 (1,105)
