Pools lost out 3-1 at Walsall in what was a frustrating afternoon for Chris Turner's men.

A Roy O'Donovan equaliser on 27 minutes looked to have set Pools back on track after an early set-back but it was the hosts who built with another goal in each half to secure the points.

The first half here at The Banks's Stadium was fast-paced as both forward lines looked bright and lively.

Walsall were the first to make the most of their pressure with just 7 minutes on the clock as a great run by Steve Jones down the right wing saw the pacy winger push on into the area and cause a real melee.

Both Neil Austin and Sam Collins blocked well to deny the goal but Julian Gray got the final touch as he sent a fierce drive into the back of the net.

Jones was allowed space again down the right just one minute later - this time he sent a teasing ball across the area for the arriving Matt Richards but his shot went wide of target.

Walsall were clearly lifted by the goal and played some neat football pushing forward, and both Nicholls and Deeney proved a handful up front.

Pools though offered different problems to the hosts, with O'Donovan and Brown once again looking to torment a back line with their pace and trickery.

Andy Monkhouse, who cut a frustrated figure on the left wing for chunks of the game, had a good shot on goal when he picked up possession inside the area to twist and turn into space and shoot on goal but Rene Gilmartin saved well.

With 20 minutes having passed since the opener, Pools were level; a good through-ball from Austin found O'Donovan in space deep into the final third. The Irish striker was completely unmarked and able to run at goal, leaving GIlmartin grounded and finish calmly into the back of an empty net.

Walsall were ahead again after just two minutes as Troy Deeney came out on top of an aerial challenge in the box with Gary Liddle, who mis-judged the bounce of the ball and Deeney finished well into the bottom right corner to make it 2-1.

And the hosts could have made things even more difficult for Pools just before the break as Deeney fought off the challenge of Liddle to once again push on into the box and put the ball square for Julian Gray who was denied his second by a brave block from Scott Flinders.

So Pools went in 2-1 down at half time but showed enough in the first half to suggest there could be more goals after the break.

Turner clearly sent his men fired up as they charged on goal from the off; Monkhouse fed O'Donovan with a good ball and the on-loan forward turned to shoot on goal only to be denied by Gilmartin. Ritchie Humphreys then touched the rebound on to Brown but he sent his effort high over the bar from a good range,

As Pools continued their search for a leveller, Brown sent a teasing ball in from the left where Leon McSweeney was the only player available and the winger sent his header high under pressure.

Pools plugged away as they looked to get something from the game, enjoying large spells of possession but struggling to make it past McDonald and Smith at the back for Walsall.

Sam Collins was cautioned for a challenge on the edge of the box, allowing Richard Taundry to send a well-taken freekick but Flinders looked unconcerned as he collected the kick with ease.

With twenty minutes remaining, Walsall enjoyed their own period of pressure and they began to work Pools hard again at the wrong end of the pitch.

Gray again went close to hitting the net, sending a testing ball across the face of goal which just creot out at the far post.

But with 76 minutes on the clock, Walsall put the game out of Pools' reach as the ball was fed through for Taundry inside the box and he fired an unstoppable blast past Flinders to make it 3-1.

Antony Sweeney, introduced for Humphreys just after the goal, went close to grabbing a goal back for Pools as he flicked the ball on for himself inside the box but dogged defending by the hosts denied the midfielder a goal.

Adam Boyd found himself with a great chance as Sweeney pushed the ball into his path but the striker went for goal himself and sent his effort high over the bar.

McDonald cleared a ball off the line from a Boyd strike as Pools pushed everything forward

Matt Richards went desperately close to sealing the win for Walsall late in the game with what would have been a wonder strike; the midfielder chipped a ball at goal from distance, hitting it over Flinders but then seeing it smash the crossbar and bounce back into play.

Defeat will come as a disappointment for Pools who had looked in form ahead of today's match and Chris Turner's men now have more work to do to ensure they are not dragged back into the relegation fight.

Pools: Flinders, Austin, Liddle, Collins, Hartley, McSweeney, Gamble (Jones 79), Humphreys (Sweeney 76), Monkhouse, O'Donovan, Brown (Boyd 79)
Subs Not Used: Cook, Clark, Haslam, Bjornsson

Walsall: Gilmartin, Weston, Smith, Jones (Till 76), Deeney, Nicholls, Taundry, Vincent, Richards, Gray, McDonald
Subs Not Used: Sansara, Bradley, O'Keefe, Grigg, Ince