Walsall 0 Bury 1 - Archive

Craig Jones scored Bury's first winner of the season, but it was keeper Rob Lainton who made sure of the points.

Jones knocked table toppers Walsall off top spot with a well worked opener in the sixth minute in his first start of the league campaign.

Midfielder Andrew Tutte picked out Jones as he darted into the box from the right flank and the winger coolly stroked the ball into the bottom far corner for his first goal of the season.

Delighted Bury boss David Flitcroft said:

"A lot of hard miles have gone into that result. It was a back-to-the-walls performance against a very good team."

It then became the Rob Lainton show as the Shakers keeper stunned the Bescot faithful with a string of super stops. 

Midfielder Sam Mantom was the first to force Lainton into a full length diving save in the 23rd minute.

Lainton had to be at his best twice more just before the break to palm a point blank header from central defender James O'Connor behind and beat away a twenty yard goal bound shot from striker Romaine Sawyers.

Twelve minutes into the second half Lainton showed his class again with an agile diving save to shut out a Mantom drive from the right side of the area that was heading for the top corner. 

When Lainton was eventually beaten by a glancing header from striker Tom Bradhaw two minutes later, central defender Peter Clarke nodded the threat off the line.

And in added time former Bolton youth prospect Lainton did well again to block a swerving 25 yard shot from Mantom.   

Walsall manager Dean Smith was frustrated by his team's first league defeat, but said:

"I can't have asked for any more from my players. They didn't come here to park the bus, but ended up doing so."