A QUICK-fire double gave The Saddlers a 2-1 victory at Cheltenham Town to maintain our chase for a play-off place.

It was the home side who asked the early questions and an inviting cross from the right was headed out by Ian Roper as Cheltenham forced a couple of early corners.

Home 'keeper, Shane Higgs was called into action on 13 minutes as he cleared under pressure from Kevin Betsy following Richard Taundry's searching ball forward. The next attack saw Alassane N'Dour pick out Lee Holmes whose progress was halted with a robust challenge that earned a free-kick. Taundry stepped up a curled the free-kick around the wall but Higgs was able to push the effort wide.

Walsall took the lead on 25 minutes when Rhys Weston set Holmes away and he was brought down by Higgs for a penalty. Despite missing last week, Tommy Mooney placed the ball on the spot and coolly fired home.

With our tails up, Holmes went on a mazy run down the left moments later which ended with him cutting inside and seeing a low ball across the face of goal touched out for a corner by Higgs. The resulting flag-kick was delivered onto the head of Anthony Gerrard who made no mistake to plant the ball past Higgs from close range.

Just past the half-hour, a corner to the far post was headed just wide by Gillespie before Paul Connor failed to convert a chance from close range as Clayton Ince was alert to gather as the ball bounced off the unaware front-man.

After a deft Weston header from a Michael Dobson cross was blocked, Roper took a knock following a collison with Gillespie that required lengthy treatment before the no-nonsense defender was stretchered from the field. Mark Bradley took his place as Dobson went into the heart of the back-line.

The second period started with Mooney slicing wide following Weston's pass. The skipper then found himself well off target on 53 minutes after Betsy did well to break on the right.

The Saddlers were well in control at this stage, and Mooney was wide again after receiving a pass from Taundry.

After Adam Connolly had seen a long-range effort dip over for the home side, Mooney teed up Edrissa Sonko at the other end but he put his effort well wide.

Holmes was then forced to limp out of the action on 72 minutes to be replaced by Ishmel Demontagnac.

The Robins pulled a goal back shortly afterwards when Keogh was able to deliver a ball in from the left and Connor managed to take advantage of a slip to guide the ball beyond Ince.

It set-up an exciting finish to the game as both sides needed the points for different reasons. A skilful break by Demontagnac saw him feed Betsy whose shot from a tight angle was pushed away by Higgs as the resulting corner came to nothing.

Demontagnac then became the third player to limp out of the action as Deeney replaced him.

A late volley by substitute, Agostino flashed just wide as the home side searched for an equaliser then a deep ball from the left bounced agonisingly across the face of the goal as Cheltenham failed to get the necessary connection.

In the end, it was The Saddlers who were celebrating an important win.