Kieron Morris effort enough as Walsall edge Scunthorpe

Kieron Morris' early strike ended Scunthorpe's run of six league wins on the spin as a 1-0 victory lifted Walsall into the top half of League One.

After a quiet start, Walsall led after 13 minutes as Morris let fly from the left-hand corner of the box, 20 yards out, and his rocket took a slight deflection to beat Scunthorpe goalkeeper Matt Gilks.

Florent Cuvelier came close to doubling the Saddlers' lead on the half-hour with a dipping 25-yard half-volley that flashed narrowly over Gilks' bar.

And right at the end of a first half that Walsall bossed, Gilks had to be alert to tip Erhun Oztumer's 20-yard strike around the post.

Walsall had a golden chance to seal the points after 58 minutes as Luke Leahy was tripped in the box by Rory McArdle but Gilks spared his skipper's blushes with a fine penalty save from Oztumer.

Scunthorpe nearly pinched a point in stoppage time as substitute Clayton Lewis' 30-yard thunderbolt was scooped off the line at the second attempt by Walsall stopper Mark Gillespie after he fumbled the initial strike.