Another early goal set the tone at the Banks’s Stadium as Rochdale walked away with all three points thanks to goals from Ethan Ebanks-Landell and Ethan Hamilton, either side of a superb Joe Edwards effort.
In a game that lacked any real clear-cut chances other than the goals, it was the visitors who found the clinical edge over the duration of the 90 minutes.
Dale took the lead after just six minutes when a corner wasn’t cleared properly and centre-back Ebanks-Landell was able to smash the ball into the top corner of Liam Roberts’ net.
With just under 10 minutes to go in the first half the Saddlers go themselves back on level terms thanks to a superb solo effort from captain Edwards.
The midfielder picked the ball up 40 yards out and drove towards the Dale box with real force before unleashing a powerful strike which found the bottom corner.
Just before the hour mark, the visitors put themselves in the driving seat when they regained the lead, this time through Hamilton.
The midfielder latched onto a loose ball before weaving his way into the Walsall penalty area, tucking the ball into the bottom right corner past a helpless Roberts.