After ending 2022 with a disappointing defeat to Stockport County, the Saddlers rang in the New Year with a home clash against Mansfield Town, and an opportunity to close the gap one the Play-Off places.
Walsall were under plenty of pressure for large swathes of the first-half but it was they who took the lead as Douglas James-Taylor made the most of a rare start to grab a goal just a few minutes before half-time.
The Saddlers started the second-half the way they finished the first as long-serving midfielder Liam Kinsella grabbed his first goal of the season to double his side's lead with a well-placed header.
The visitors went on to cur the Saddlers' lead back to a single goal late in the half as Rhys Oates put his name in the scoresheet, though this was their only goal of the contest as Walsall held on to take three welcome points.
SKY BET LEAGUE TWO
| WALSALL | 2-1 | MANSFIELD TOWN |
| JAMES-TAYLOR (43') KINSELLA (47') |
GOALSCORERS | OATES (82') |
| HUTCHINSON (47') | ASSISTS | K.GORDON (82') |
| 42 | POSS (%) | 58 |
| 11 | SHOTS (TOTAL) | 18 |
| 3 | SHOTS (ON TARGET) | 2 |
| 5 | CORNERS | 4 |
| 8 | FOULS | 10 |
| 2 | YELLOW CARDS | 0 |
| 0 | RED CARDS | 0 |
| AT | POUNDLAND BESCOT STADIUM |
| ATTENDANCE | 6,199 (1,090) |
| REFEREE | CHARLES BREAKSPEAR |
WALSALL
Evans 🟨; Daniels, McEntee, Monthé; Knowles, Maddox 🟨 (Comley, 78') Kinsella, L.Gordon; Hutchinson; James-Taylor (Earing, 87'), Williams (Wilkinson, 73')
Unused: Barrett; Allen, Maher, Cashman
MANSFIELD TOWN
Pym; K.Gordon, Hawkins, Perch, McLaughlin (O'Toole, 63'), Hartigan (Maris, 33'), Boateng, Quinn (Bowery, 63'), Lapslie, Swan (Law, 78'), Oates
Unused: Flinders; Collin, Anderson