Shakers unseat sorry Saddlers

Former Walsall midfielder Peter Sweeney led Bury to a comfortable 4-2 win over his old club at the Banks's Stadium on Saturday.

Sweeney, who once had a short loan spell with the Saddlers, scored one and had a hand in two more as the slick Shakers deservedly won. Bury took the lead in the sixth minute when Sweeney unleashed a stunning left-foot drive from 30 yards which flew in off the crossbar, giving home goalkeeper David Grof no chance. But Walsall levelled after 28 minutes. Shane Byrne tripped Jamie Paterson in the box - he was booked for the offence - and Jon Macken coolly stroked in the penalty for his third goal of the season. Inside the first minute of the second half, however, Michael Jones floated a beauty in to the top corner, cutting in from the left to restore Bury's lead and they never looked back. Skipper Steven Schumacher added a third after 63 minutes and substitute Lenell John-Lewis hammered a fourth for the Shakers three minutes from the end before teenage substitute George Bowerman grabbed his first senior goal for relegation threatened Walsall in stoppage time. At the final whistle, players had to separate Walsall defender Manny Smith and Bury sub David Worrall after the pair squared up to each other.