Posh suffered their third successive league defeat as Walsall claimed a 2-0 win at the Banks's Stadium.

Peterborough United suffered their third successive league defeat as a lively Walsall side claimed a comfortable 2-0 victory in front of the live Sky cameras.

Craig Alcock struck the underside of the crossbar with a rasping drive from 25-yards on seven minutes, coming close to breaking his goal duck for Posh in front of the live TV cameras. Goalkeeper O'Donnell may have got a fingertip to the effort to prevent the full-back from opening his account.

Bobby Olejnik made his first stop of the evening at the other end to prevent former Nottingham Forest man Craig Westcarr from finding the back of the net.

Olejmik somehow kept an effort out from Butler as Posh struggled to defend a free-kick from the left on 24 minutes. Two minutes later, the Saddlers got themselves in front as the lively LALKOVIC ran at the Posh back-line and coolly slotted the ball past Olejnik.

Ntlhe headed straight at O'Donnell after good work from Little down the right hand side on 37 minutes. Posh made a switch at the break with Danny Kearns replacing Ntlhe.

Taylor curled a free-kick wide of the target for the Saddlers on 50 minutes. Taylor was denied a similar free-kick by Olejnik moments later.

The Posh shot-stopper produced a fine stop to prevent Westcarr after a terrible back pass from McCann played the striker in.

Assombalonga was in the right place at the right time to head off the line following a powerful Butler header from a corner kick. On 67 minutes, Assombalonga was denied by a smart stop from O'Donnell.

At the other end, on 68 minutes, Walsall doubled their lead as the impressive SAWYER burst into the box and fired an unstoppable shot past Olejnik and into the roof of the net.

Sawyer had a glorious chance to make it 3-0 moments later after a Bostwick error, but he tried to chip Olejnik, who made a routine stop.

The night went from bad to worse for Posh on 77 minutes as Brisley was shown a second yellow card for a needless foul on Lalkovic on the half-way line.

Olejnik made a smart stop to deny Lalkovic as understandably more gaps began to appear.

Walsall had a chance to make it 3-0 from the spot after Downing was felled, but Olejnik saved substitute Hemmings spot-kick.

Final Score: Walsall 2-0 Posh

Attendance: 4,597 (251 Posh fans)

Walsall: O'Donnell, Taylor, Butler, Chambers, Mantom, Lalkovic (sub Hemmings 83min), Westcarr (sub Hewitt 89min), Downing, Chambers, Baxendale (sub Gray 83min), Sawyer. Unused subs: Purkiss, Featherstone, Lewis, Benning.

Posh: Olejnik, Alcock, Bostwick, Brisley, Payne, Ephraim, McCann (sub Barnett 56min), Little,  Ntlhe (sub Kearns 46min), Assombalonga (sub Zakuani 81min), Mendez-Laing. Unused subs: Swanson, Zakuani, Jeffers, Vassell. Day.