Walsall suffered their first league defeat of the season after a narrow loss to Crewe Alexandra.

Eddie Nolan scored the only goal of the game midway through the second half to give the hosts the victory. 

Darrell Clarke made four changes to the team that lost to Crawley Town as Dan Scarr, Cameron Pring, Jack Kiersey and Caolan Lavery came in for Mat Sadler, Callum Cockerill-Mollett, Alfie Bates and Elijah Adebayo. 

The Saddlers made a bright start and almost took the lead after three minute when Liam Kinsella won the ball back in midfield. He found Caolan Lavery who set Cameron Pring free on the left who darted towards the area and cut it back to Lavery who blazed a shot wide from 12 yards out. 

Crewe didn’t really threaten until the 20 minute mark when Daniel Powell fired in a shot which was well blocked by Dan Scarr. 

Neither keeper was tested in a fairly low-key first half. 

Crewe made a better start to the second half than they did the first. They forced Liam Roberts into the making the first save of the match on 50 minutes when Charlie Kirk skipped into the area and set up Harry Pickering who unleashed a powerful strike towards the top corner but Roberts tipped it behind brilliantly.

The hosts took the lead on 61 minutes when Perry Ng’s shot took a deflection and fell into the path of Eddie Nolan who turned the ball into the net. The Walsall players felt aggrieved as they felt he was in an offside position. 

Darrell Clarke brought on Wes McDonald and James Hardy before introducing Elijah Adebayo to try and wrestle the game back into Walsall’s favour. 

Crewe were also looking for a second and thought they had it in the 83rd minute when Liam Roberts pulled off a fine save to deny Chris Porter from close range. Charlie Kirk scored from the rebound but he was offside. 

Hardy then had a shot blocked for Walsall who tried to press for an equaliser but the Railwaymen were a threat on the break and Roberts had to pull off a double save to deny Tom Lowery and Pickering. 

The hosts received a late red card when former Saddlers defender Olly Lancashire received a second yellow card. 

Despite their best efforts, Walsall couldn’t find an equaliser and suffered their first league defeat of the season.