Walsall were back in action on Tuesday evening as they welcomed Fleetwood Town to the Poundland Bescot Stadium for their latest League Two outing of the season.
Walsall opened the scoring early in the first half, as, following a foul throw, defender Harry Williams controlled Jamille Matt's pass inside the area before stabbing an effort home via a rather sizeable deflection.
The visitors levelled the scores just over ten minutes later when Ronan Coughlan caped off a sweeping Cod Army counter-attack to put the ball beyond Tommy Simkin.
Walsall got themselves back into the lead late in the opening forty-five as Jamille Matt, assisted by a Nathan Lowe backheel, prodded the ball into the back of the net.
The visitors were gifted an opportunity to level the scores early in the second half as David Okagbue needlessly fouled his man inside the area leading to Coughlan to slot home from the spot.
Fleetwood took the lead with fifty-seven minutes on the clock as Kayden Hughes scored following a goal-mouth scramble. A truly shocking start to the half for Mat Sadler's men.
The visitors' fourth goal of the contest came via a free-kick which ultimately saw Hughes credited with his second goal of the game as Walsall crumbled.
Walsall's humiliation was concluded late in the half as Matt Virtue-Thick finished off a counter-attack with the fifth goal for his side before Mark Helm added a sixth in stoppage time.
SKY BET LEAGUE TWO
| WALSALL | 2-6 | FLEETWOOD |
| WILLIAMS (14') MATT (45') |
GOALSCORERS |
COUGHLAN (25') COUGHLAN [P] (51') HUGHES (57') HUGHES (67') VIRTUE-THICK (85') HELM (90+4') |
| MATT (14') LOWE (45') |
ASSISTS |
GRAYDON (25') GRAYDON (67') HARRATT (85') GRAYDON (90+4') |
| 47 | POSSESSION (%) | 53 |
| 14 | SHOTS (TOTAL) | 11 |
| 3 | SHOTS (ON TARGET) | 7 |
| 3 | BLOCKED SHOTS | 3 |
| 1 | GOALKEEPER SAVES | 1 |
| 5 | CORNERS | 5 |
| 10 | FOULS | 5 |
| 0 | YELLOW CARDS | 1 |
| 0 | RED CARDS | 0 |
| AT | POUNDLAND BESCOT STADIUM |
| ATTENDANCE | 4,237 (79 AWAY) |
| REFEREE | DALE BAINES |
WALSALL
Simkin; Okagbue, Williams, Allen; Stirk; C. Barrett (Cleary, 72'), Jellis (Johnson, 77'), Lakin (Earing, 56'), L. Gordon; Lowe, Matt (Adomah, 56')
Unused: Hornby, Daniels, Comley
FLEETWOOD TOWN
Harrington; Johnston, Wiredu (Bennett, 13' 🟨), Bolton, Bonds, Graydon, Virtue, Mayor (Helm, 85'), Hunt, Coughlan (Harratt, 85'), Hughes
Unused: Lynch; Broom, Lonergan, Petterson