Walsall 2 Fleetwood 6 - Report

Harry Williams opened the scoring after 15 minutes with his first goal for the club before Ronan Coughlan equalised midway into the first half.

Jamille Matt restored Walsall's lead with his third goal of the season on the cusp of half-time but Coughlan levelled once again from the spot after the break.

Kayden Hughes scored twice to propel Fleetwood into a two-goal lead, before goals from Matty Virtue and Mark Helm sealed the win for the visitors late on.

Mat Sadler named the same XI for the third league game on the spin following Walsall's 4-0 demolition of Colchester United on Saturday.

Walsall started on the top and they consolidated their early dominance by taking the lead through Williams with 15 minutes on the clock.

Connor Barrett charged down the right and fizzed a low deflected cross to the back post. Matt helped the ball on to an unmarked Williams, whose stabbed finish towards goal was helped over the line via a heavy touch off a Fleetwood defender found the net via a heavy touch off a Fleetwood defender on the line.

But Fleetwood were level just 10 minutes later when Graydon glided into space to thread the ball in behind for Coughlan to convert confidently into the far bottom corner.

Fleetwood grew in confidence after Coughlan's equaliser although the closest they came to troubling Tommy Simkin was from Carl Johnston's tame low effort.

Walsall had lost their early swagger but threatened to break in behind when Jamille Matt and Nathan Lowe combined effectively until Fleetwood intervened at the death to prevent Charlie Lakin from pulling the trigger.

And they restored their lead on the cusp of half-time when Jamille Matt showcased his predatory instincts to poke home from close-range, after Taylor Allen's corner had caused an goalmouth scramble inside the box.

Fleetwood levelled within five minutes of the restart when Okagbue was penalised for tripping Coughlan inside the box. Coughlan then took the resulting spot kick as he rolled the ball past Simkin to bag his brace.

The visitors were ahead before the hour-mark when Hughes bundled the ball over the line after Coughlan had crashed his header against the crossbar.

Barrett came close to equalising twice in quick succession when his near post flick was clawed away by David Harrington, before he headed Ryan Stirk's sliced volley agonisingly wide of the left-hand post.

At the other end, Fleetwood doubled their advantage moments later when Hughes climbed highest to guide his header into the far corner from Mackenzie Hunt's free-kick delivery with Simkin rooted to the spot.

Danny Johnson came close to pulling one back when his header kissed the cheek of the post but Fleetwood added a fifth late on when Virtue converted a low cross to score his third goal in as many games.

Walsall will be on the road for the first time in a fortnight when they travel to newly-promoted Chesterfield on Saturday.

Teams

Walsall (3-1-4-2): Simkin; Okagbue, Williams, Allen; Stirk; Barrett (Cleary 72), Jellis (Johnson 77), Lakin (Earing 55), L Gordon; Matt (Adomah 55), Lowe.

Not used: Hornby, Daniels, Comley.

Fleetwood (3-1-4-2): Harrington; Wiredu (Bennett 13), Bolton, Hughes; Bonds; Johnston, Hunt, Virtue, Mayor (Helm 83); Graydon, Coughlan (Harratt 83).

Not used: Lynch, Patterson, Broom, Lonergan.

Referee: Dale Bains

Attendance: 4,237 (79)