Walsall 0-1 Portsmouth

Portsmouth midfielder Gareth Evans has scored three times this season

Portsmouth moved to within two points of the play-off places with a third successive win as they beat struggling Walsall 1-0 to consign new boss Dean Keates to a second straight loss in charge.

The visitors controlled the first half and Ben Close should have done better than scuff a close-range volley straight at Walsall goalkeeper Liam Roberts from Gareth Evans' 12th-minute cross.

Pompey's 18-goal top scorer Brett Pitman twice glanced headers wide while Close volleyed off-target when Dion Donohue's long throw found him free inside the area.

Portsmouth continued to dominate after the break, Kal Naismith whipping a vicious effort inches wide from 20 yards and seeing another shot flash across goal and just past the post.

Walsall took until the 73rd minute to threaten as Luke Leahy's cross was met by a first-time Amadou Bakayoko volley that flew just over.

But Pompey deservedly won it six minutes later as Jamal Lowe teed-up Evans to fizz a fine strike into the bottom corner from 18 yards and condemn Walsall to a sixth defeat in their last seven.

Match report supplied by the Press Association.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Walsall

• 13Roberts
• 6DevlinBooked at 36mins
• 23Fitzwater
• 5GuthrieBooked at 76mins
• 3Leahy
• 10OztumerSubstituted forShaibuat 83'minutes
• 7Chambers
• 8CuvelierSubstituted forDobsonat 72'minutes
• 11MorrisBooked at 87mins
• 18NgoySubstituted forKouhyarat 67'minutes
• 20BakayokoBooked at 58mins

Substitutes

• 1Gillespie
• 4Dobson
• 15Kinsella
• 16Shaibu
• 17Flanagan
• 24Roberts
• 25Kouhyar

Portsmouth

• 1McGee
• 2WalkesBooked at 86mins
• 5Clarke
• 16Whatmough
• 17DonohueBooked at 43mins
• 20Thompson
• 18Lowe
• 26Evans
• 33CloseSubstituted forRonanat 77'minutes
• 22Naismith
• 8Pitman

Substitutes

• 6Burgess
• 7O'Keefe
• 9Hawkins
• 11Kennedy
• 14Ronan
• 35Bass
• 38Haunstrup

Referee:

Darren Handley

Attendance:

5,159

Match Stats

Home TeamWalsallAway TeamPortsmouth

Possession

Home52%

Away48%

Shots

Home6

Away16

Shots on Target

Home1

Away6

Corners

Home2

Away4

Fouls

Home15

Away10

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Walsall 0, Portsmouth 1.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+6'

Second Half ends, Walsall 0, Portsmouth 1.

Posted at 90'+5'

Attempt missed. Maz Kouhyar (Walsall) header from very close range is close, but misses to the left.

Posted at 90'+5'

Corner, Walsall. Conceded by Jack Whatmough.

Posted at 90'+4'

Jon Guthrie (Walsall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'+4'

Foul by Nathan Thompson (Portsmouth).

Posted at 89'

Foul by Amadou Bakayoko (Walsall).

Posted at 89'

Nathan Thompson (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Booking

Posted at 87'

Kieron Morris (Walsall) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 87'

Foul by Kieron Morris (Walsall).

Posted at 87'

Nathan Thompson (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Booking

Posted at 86'

Anton Walkes (Portsmouth) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 85'

Attempt missed. Amadou Bakayoko (Walsall) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.

Posted at 84'

Foul by Kieron Morris (Walsall).

Posted at 84'

Nathan Thompson (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution

Posted at 84'

Substitution, Walsall. Justin Shaibu replaces Erhun Oztumer.

Posted at 81'

Adam Chambers (Walsall) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 81'

Foul by Connor Ronan (Portsmouth).

Goal!

Posted at 79'

Goal! Walsall 0, Portsmouth 1. Gareth Evans (Portsmouth) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jamal Lowe.

Posted at 78'

Corner, Portsmouth. Conceded by Liam Roberts.

Posted at 77'

Attempt saved. Brett Pitman (Portsmouth) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner.

Substitution

Posted at 77'

Substitution, Portsmouth. Connor Ronan replaces Ben Close.

Booking

Posted at 76'

Jon Guthrie (Walsall) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 76'

Foul by Jon Guthrie (Walsall).

Posted at 76'

Jamal Lowe (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 74'

Amadou Bakayoko (Walsall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 74'

Foul by Jack Whatmough (Portsmouth).

Posted at 73'

Attempt missed. Amadou Bakayoko (Walsall) left footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.

Substitution

Posted at 72'

Substitution, Walsall. George Dobson replaces Florent Cuvelier because of an injury.

Posted at 71'

Delay in match Florent Cuvelier (Walsall) because of an injury.

Posted at 71'

Corner, Walsall. Conceded by Gareth Evans.

Posted at 69'

Attempt missed. Brett Pitman (Portsmouth) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.

Substitution

Posted at 67'

Substitution, Walsall. Maz Kouhyar replaces Julien Ngoy.

Posted at 67'

Attempt missed. Jack Fitzwater (Walsall) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.

Posted at 67'

Foul by Anton Walkes (Portsmouth).

Posted at 67'

Amadou Bakayoko (Walsall) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 66'

Attempt missed. Kal Naismith (Portsmouth) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right.

Posted at 65'

Attempt missed. Kal Naismith (Portsmouth) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.

Posted at 64'

Foul by Brett Pitman (Portsmouth).

Posted at 64'

Adam Chambers (Walsall) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

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