West Brom drew first blood in this Black County derby - a vital match with both sides fighting against relegation.

A full house 9,500 crowd at Bescot Stadium saw Walsall create the first chance, Paul Hall crossing perfectly but Andy Rammell's header flying wide.

Albion then pushed forward to take the lead with a controversial goal after 10 minutes.

Saddlers' skipper Adrian Viveash tried to let the ball run out of play for a goal-kick but was robbed by Bob Taylor who cut in and squared the ball for skipper Sean Flynn to drive low into the net.

Walsall players complained that the ball had gone out of play and Viveash had been fouled, but all that got them was a caution for Viveash.

Walsall pushed forward repeatedly after that shock and Brian Jensen punched away a dangerous cross from Tom Bennett. Then Viveash moved up to meet a Pedro Matias free-kick and head just over.

Albion were sitting back and just trying to pinch another goal on the break, but the home side were not taking advantage of the chances they carved out.

In the 25th minute a great pass from Dean Keates put Matias through on the left but instead of shooting he tried to pull the ball back and it ran inches behind Rammell who would have scored with a better delivery.

Back came the Saddlers, with Hall bursting down the right before cutting in and finding Tom Bennett whose drive looked a certain goal until Jensen flew through the air to pull off a wonder save.

Then Jensen was in action again cutting out a dangerous low cross from Bennett, but Albion could have snatched another on the break in the 42nd minute.

Fabian De Freitas went round Diego Padula near the centre circle and ran on to hit a fierce low drive which crashed against the legs of home keeper Carl Emberson and rebounded to safety.

Teams:

Walsall: Emberson, Marsh, Roper, Viveash, Padula, Hall (Wrack 90), Bennett, Keates, Matias, Robins (Fenton 64), Rammell.

Subs Not Used: Barras, Bukran, Vlachos.

Booked: Viveash.

Goals: Rammell 48, Bennett 83.

West Brom: Jensen, Burgess (Evans 88), Butler, Carbon, Lyttle, Sneekes, Flynn, Santos, Van Blerk (Clement 87), De Freitas (Oliver 75), Taylor.

Subs Not Used: Adamson, J. Chambers.

Goals: Flynn 10.

Att: 9,161

Ref: F Stretton (Nottingham).