Walsall raced to their fourth successive home win with a 3-1 victory against previously in-form Hartlepool.
Gray, Deeney and Taundry on target for Walsall
Walsall raced to their fourth successive home win with a 3-1 victory against previously in-form Hartlepool.
Walsall, giving their best home display of the season, took the lead after seven minutes when Alex Nicholls released Steve Jones down the right and his cross led to a scramble in the goalmouth.
An attempted clearance hit home winger Julian Gray and bounced over the line for his fourth goal for the club.
Hartlepool responded with some lively raids often featuring Andy Monkhouse and in the 27th minute a quick through ball saw Roy O'Donovan beat the offside trap and the on-loan Sunderland striker went round keeper Rene Gilmartin to slot home his ninth goal in 13 games.
Two minutes later Walsall were back in front when top scorer Troy Deeney held off a couple of challenges in the box before steering a left-foot shot home for his 12th of the season.
Walsall made sure of the points in the 76th minute with a brilliant four-man move which ended with Gray sending man-of-the-match Richard Taundry clear to notch his third of the season.
