The Saddlers suffered a second successive defeat on the road as two goals from second half substitute Harry Charlsey was enough to give Mansfield Town all three points.
In the opening 45 minutes, it was the home side who had the better of the chances and their first came after just seven minutes as the ball was flicked through to Jordan Bowery who lifted the ball over the onrushing Carl Rushworth but his effort was cleared by a recovering Tom Leak.
After 20 minutes, the lively Bowery went close again. This time round, he got the better of a stumbling Leak but his low driven effort was well saved by Rushworth this time round.
Just before the half hour mark, a lofted free-kick was delivered into the Saddlers box and the towering Oli Hawkins nodded it back across the face of the six yard box but nobody in a yellow shirt was there to tap the ball home at the back post.
With nine minutes to go until the break, the Saddlers had their first meaningful effort of the game as George Miller latched onto Tyrese Shade’s flick on but his powerful, rising shot was excellently saved by Nathan Bishop in the Stags goal.
Ten minutes after the restart and the Saddlers looked as though they had opened the scoring. Hayden White played an excellent ball down the right channel into the path of Miller who beat three men in yellow before powering a shot towards the far corner but his effort was cleared off the line by George Maris.
Three minutes later and that missed chance came back to haunt Matt Taylor’s men when a long throw was flicked on by Hawkins and after a bit of pinball in the area, the ball fell kindly for Charsley who smashed it into the bottom corner.
As the clock began to run down, the Saddlers went in search of an equaliser and chances began to flow as the game went end to end.
The lively Rhys Oates controlled the ball on the edge of the area with 15 minutes left to play but his left-footed effort was dragged just wide of the mark.
Minutes later and the hosts looked like they were going to add a second as Stephen Quinn stole the ball off Rollin Menayese but as the ball was parried out by Rushworth, Charlsey was met once again by Rushworth who made himself big to deny the home side a second goal.
Then from that save, the Saddlers went straight down the other end and Miller cut inside and curled the ball towards the top corner but his effort was brilliantly tipped over the bar once again by Bishop.
As the Saddlers went in search of an equaliser, the home side capitalised as Bowery slotted in Charlsey who took his time before firing past Rushworth at the near post to score his second of the game and to seal the win for the home side.