Walsall 1 - 4 Scunthorpe United : Iron flatten Saddlers

Posted Sunday, January 11, 2015 by PA

Walsall crashed to a third successive home league defeat as Scunthorpe won 4-1 at the Banks's Stadium.

The Saddlers simply fell apart at the back as the lively visitors scored two in each half to continue their climb up the table.

After dominating the opening exchanges but failing to cash in on their chances - Anthony Forde twice shooting wide - Walsall were suddenly hit by two Scunthorpe goals in a 15-minute burst.

First they lost possession near the halfway line and Gary McSheffrey crossed low into the box where James Chambers could only smash the ball into his own net trying to clear, then in the 39th minute a clever short corner led to the Iron notching a second.

McSheffrey slipped the flag kick to Jacob Murphy, on loan from Norwich, and he whipped the ball low into the goalmouth for Tom Hopper, making his debut on loan from Leicester, to score from close in.

Michael Cain pulled one back for the Saddlers on 51 minutes with a low drive from Tom Bradshaw's pass, but Paddy Madden notched a third for the visitors from a 63rd-minute penalty when Paul Downing fouled Neal Bishop.

Bishop himself made it four two minutes later with a close-range shot from Hopper's header.