Match ends, Walsall 1, Bury 0.
WalsallWalsall1BuryBury0
Adam Thompson's 89th-minute own goal left League One basement boys Bury needing a miracle to stay up as they lost at fellow strugglers Walsall.
The Shakers are 13 points from safety with just 15 left to play for, while this was a vital win for Walsall who moved five points clear of the drop zone.
Bury threatened in the third minute as Callum Styles' near-post corner was met by a glancing Thompson header that forced Walsall keeper Liam Roberts into a diving save.
Walsall fashioned the better of the first-half openings from there as Justin Shaibu's snapshot was pushed wide by Bury keeper Joe Murphy and Kieron Morris rolled a shot inches wide from 15 yards.
Bury went close three times early in the second half as James Hanson bulleted a header wide, Ryan Cooney missed his kick from eight yards out and Zeli Ismail's 18-yarder was superbly foiled by Roberts.
Hanson glanced a header wide from an Ismail cross but Walsall finished strongly and, after Amadou Bakayoko's header was cleared off the line, Thompson nodded Luke Leahy's teasing cross into his own net.
Match report supplied by the Press Association.
Line-ups
Walsall
Formation 4-4-2
- 13Roberts
- 6Devlin
- 23Fitzwater
- 5Guthrie
- 3Leahy
- 11Morris
- 7Chambers
- 8CuvelierSubstituted forDobsonat 64'minutes
- 20Bakayoko
- 10OztumerSubstituted forRobertsat 90+3'minutes
- 16ShaibuSubstituted forNgoyat 53'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Gillespie
- 4Dobson
- 15Kinsella
- 17Flanagan
- 18Ngoy
- 24Roberts
- 25Kouhyar
Bury
Formation 4-5-1
- 1Murphy
- 28Cooney
- 36Clarke
- 5ThompsonBooked at 51mins
- 14Edwards
- 16IsmailSubstituted forMillerat 79'minutes
- 24Styles
- 30InceSubstituted forMayorat 90+2'minutes
- 31DannsSubstituted forO'Sheaat 90+2'minutes
- 33Bunn
- 32Hanson
Substitutes
- 4Tutte
- 10Mayor
- 12Ripley
- 19Miller
- 25Dai
- 26O'Shea
- 43Shotton
- Referee:
- Chris Sarginson
- Attendance:
- 3,807
Match Stats
Home TeamWalsallAway TeamBury
- Possession
- Home46%
- Away54%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away5
- Corners
- Home8
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away5
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Walsall 1, Bury 0.
Post update
Corner, Walsall. Conceded by Peter Clarke.
Substitution
Substitution, Walsall. Kory Roberts replaces Erhun Oztumer.
Substitution
Substitution, Bury. Jay O'Shea replaces Neil Danns.
Substitution
Substitution, Bury. Danny Mayor replaces Rohan Ince.
Goal!
Own Goal by Adam Thompson, Bury. Walsall 1, Bury 0.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match (Walsall).
Post update
Corner, Walsall. Conceded by Peter Clarke.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Julien Ngoy (Walsall) header from very close range is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Walsall. Conceded by Adam Thompson.
Post update
Attempt saved. Callum Styles (Bury) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Substitution
Substitution, Bury. George Miller replaces Zeli Ismail.
Post update
Luke Leahy (Walsall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Zeli Ismail (Bury).
Post update
Attempt saved. James Hanson (Bury) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Post update
Foul by Adam Chambers (Walsall).
Post update
Callum Styles (Bury) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Julien Ngoy (Walsall) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
