Fulham became the first side to book their place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup thanks to a glorious volley from Barry Hayles at the Bescot Stadium.

Hayles grabbed the winner after sub Darren Byfield had dragged the struggling First Division side back into the game.

Walsall showed plenty of fighting spirit after Tom Bennett's own goal handed Fulham the lead.

Byfield almost forced a replay but keeper Edwin Van der Sar, at fault for the equaliser, made a superb block.

Saddlers boss Colin Lee decided to pack the midfield with Jorge Leitao the lone striker.

Darren Wrack was drafted into the right-back slot with Ian Brightwell sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Even though it was a noon kick off, the floodlights were on with fog filtering around the Bescot Stadium.

Walsall made a positive start and Wrack tried to pick out Leitao only to slightly over-hit the pass.

The pair linked up again a couple of minutes later but the ball was scrambled away.

Wrack was seeing plenty of early action and fed Biancalani, who won a corner, which unfortunately for Walsall came to nothing.

Fulham almost went ahead after 11 minutes when Steve Marlet released Sylvain Legwinski at the back post.

However keeper James Walker was alert to the danger and made a good block from the Frenchman's shot.

Fulham stepped up the pace and Marlet headed just wide from Steed Malbranque's corner.

Walsall however almost made the breakthrough when Dutch keeper Van der Sar miscued his clearance to Herivelto.

He had a clear route to goal but from the edge of the area he steered his effort wide.

Fulham reacted positively and Marlet burst down the left and delivered a good cross into the box.

Malbranque got away from his marker, only to flick a header wide of the post.

Walsall again found themselves on the back foot when Rufus Brevett played the ball in from the left and found Barry Hayles. But his first touch was poor and Walker was able to gather safely.

Herivelto was having no luck at all and was taken off after 34 minutes and replaced by Byfield.

The Walsall striker found Leitao in the 42nd minute but his header only found the keeper's arms.

But there was heartache for the home side a minute later when Bennett knocked the ball past his own keeper as he tried to clear Malbranque's free kick.

Walsall boss Lee decided to make another change at half time, bringing on Ian Roper for Matt Carbon.

Lee knew that if they were to salvage something from the game they needed to make a bright start to the second half.

They certainly looked the part in the opening stages when Biancalani and Leitao linked up but the striker's effort went over the top.

Lee got his wish in the 49th minute when Byfield grabbed the equaliser, heading in a corner from Dean Keates with Van der Sar getting his bearings wrong.

Fulham stormed back and Walker reacted superbly in the Walsall goal to turn away an inswinging free-kick from Malbranque.

The Premiership side took the lead in the 61st minute when Hayles got on the end of Steve Finnan's cross to send a glorious volley beyond Walker.

Walsall were down to 10 men at the time with Wrack off the pitch, having stitches inserted in his leg.

It was a huge blow for the home side, who had knocked out Charlton in the previous round.

Byfield found himself clear 30 yards out but his shot was much too ambitious and did not trouble Van der Sar.

Van der Sar again looked uncomfortable when Keates played in a corner but David Holdsworth was unable to take advantage.

Fulham player coach John Collins then saw his superb 30-yard volley hit the side netting as Walsall pushed men forward.

Van der Sar then made amends for the error that had led to Walsall's goal with a superb block from Byfield's close-range header.

Teams:

Walsall: Walker, Wrack, Holdsworth, Carbon (Roper 45), Aranalde, Bennett (Corica 76), Keates, Biancalani, Matias, Leitao, Herivelto (Byfield 37).

Subs Not Used: Harper, Angell.

Booked: Carbon, Matias, Byfield.

Goals: Byfield 49.

Fulham: Van der Sar, Finnan, Ouaddou (Melville 81), Goma, Brevett, Malbranque, Legwinski, Collins (Harley 90), Davis, Marlet (Saha 80), Hayles.

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Willock.

Booked: Brevett.

Goals: Bennett 43 og, Hayles 61.

Att: 8,766

Ref: S Dunn (Bristol).