Chesterfield’s unbeaten run was brought to end by Walsall on a miserable afternoon for the Spireites at the Proact Stadium.
Sam Mantom’s second-half brace, along with a goal from Jordy Hiwula, earned the Saddlers a 4-1 victory in interim manager Jon Whitney’s first game at the helm.
The first half had been an even affair with chances at both ends and a goal for each side, both coming from own goals – James O’Connor and Tom Anderson being the unfortunate defenders who found their own net.
But a moment of madness from Dion Donohue saw the defender sent off in a scuffle following the visitors’ second goal and this ultimately proved to be the turning point as the Saddlers ran riot from then on to re-establish their promotion push with a dominant victory.