THE SADDLERS secured a deserved three points against Doncaster Rovers as substitute, Jorge Leitao notched the winner with his first touch.

The first chance fell to the visitors when a quickly-taken free-kick by Michael McIndoe following a foul by the returning Ian Roper on five minutes saw Walsall caught napping at the back but James Coppinger headed over.

McIndoe was seeing a lot of the early ball for Rovers and Roper did well to block his low cross at the near post a couple of minutes later.

The first scare for the visitors came just past the quarter-hour mark when Ishmel Demontagnac put in a dangerous cross from the left that flashed across the face of the goal, just evading both Matty Fryatt and Dario Larrosa in the middle.

Within minutes a long free-kick to the far post caused problems for Jan Budtz in the Rovers' goal, but the ball was adjudged to have gone out for a goal-kick as Larrosa headed back into the danger zone.

Some trickery out wide on the left by Demontagnac ended with him crossing to the far post where Mark Wright met the ball but his header went into the side-netting.

At the other end, Rovers won a free-kick in a dangerous position on 25 minutes following a foul by Simon Osborn on Jonathan Forte. The defensive wall did its job, though, deflecting the ball just wide.

Osborn was then involved in the action at the other end of the field soon afterwards as he linked up well with Larrosa inside the area only for the Argentinean striker to see his effort blocked by the alert Budtz in the visitors' goal who was quickly off his line.

On the half-hour, skipper for the day, Craig Pead was beaten by the lively McIndoe who did well to battle his way towards goal but his eventual effort was tame and easy for Joe Murphy, who was making his first appearance since returning to the club on loan.

A deft header from Larrosa on 38 minutes sailed just inches over as he did well to get his head on the end of an inviting cross.

Some good link-up play between Wright and Pead saw the former do well to win the ball before setting up the skipper for a shot from the angle which the 'keeper pushed out.

The final action of the half saw Roper do well to block Coppinger's powerful effort before Murphy did well to save as Forte looked to force the ball home from close range from the resulting corner.

During the half-time interval, Osborn was replaced by Michael Standing and the second period began as the first had ended with Forte going close as he was allowed to turn and shoot, but Murphy again denied him.

Despite that early chance, it was The Saddlers who started the half the brighter of the two teams, with Demontagnac in particular a willing runner.

There was a scare as Walsall pushed up in search of the opening goal as Forte found space to run in to but his progress was soon halted by a timely challenge from Pead as Murphy gathered the loose ball.

Wright threaded the ball through to Fryatt just past the hour-mark but the ball just ran away from him as the 'keeper advanced and the opportunity was lost.

A well-worked corner by The Saddlers on 66 minutes saw a low cross curled towards Julian Bennett who let the ball run on to Fryatt who struck a sweet effort that flew just wide with the 'keeper beaten.

Bennett's next contribution to the proceedings was to be booked as Rovers looked to launch yet another pacy counter-attack. It gave the visitors a free-kick that substitute, Sean Thornton curled over.

With 71 minutes on the clock, Jorge Leitao was introduced in place of Larrosa, who had shown some nice touches, and the popular Portuguese hit-man made an immediate impact as he found the net with his first touch within seconds of entering the action as he headed home Wright's inviting cross at the far post.

It was a deserved lead for Paul Merson's men, however, Doncaster kept battling away and with ten minutes to go Lewis Guy was presented with a chance following a low cross but his diving header was well off target.

Wright was forced to limp out of the action a minute later after taking a couple of knocks, he was replaced by Anthony Gerrard as The Saddlers reorganised.

As the clock ticked down, a free-kick from Kris Taylor was headed just over by Bennett after Leitao had been fouled by Rovers substitute, Leo Fortune-West.

Then, in the next attack, Standing broke out of defence before threading the ball through for Leitao who closed in on goal only for his rather tame effort to be blocked by the 'keeper. The rebound fell just away from the on-coming Fryatt who was forced wide and the chance was eventually lost.

Murphy, who claimed the Match Sponsors' Man of the Match award, was booked in the closing stages for time wasting after The Saddlers had survived a free-kick that was launched into a packed penalty area.

In the end, cheers of relief and joy greeted the final whistle as we secured a vital three points.

PHOTOS: David Linney Photography.

This game was designated as The Saddlers' Anti-Racism Day as part of the National Anti-Racism Week of Action in Football.