Walsall 0 Yeovil Town 2
Walsall were jeered by their own fans as they crashed to a miserable defeat on their first appearance in front of their own fans for a month, and on this form they face a desperate battle to avoid relegation.
Fellow strugglers Yeovil, with only one win from their previous ten matches, were far superior and could have won by a bigger margin, while the Saddlers even had young winger Ishmel Demontagnac sent off for his second bookable offence in the last minute.
It was a major disappointment to new manager Kevan Broadhurst who had seen his men draw two and win one of their last three away matches against tough opposition.
He said: "The three away games were great, but I knew the proof of the pudding would be in the home form, and it could be a poison chalice with seven of the last ten games at home.
"Obviously there is a problem playing at home and the players froze. I will take responsibility, but it has taught me a lot about players who can play away with heart, desire and quality and then are a pale imitation when they come to Bescot.
"We cannot afford that." Walsall had to play without their two central midfield men, Simon Osborn and Pablo Mills, who will both be missing again for Saturday's home match with Bradford City, and Demontagnac now joins them.
Yeovil, despite their poor run of late, were the quickest to settle, playing the better football and looking more dangerous than the home side.
Yet the first chance fell to the Saddlers when a great ball from Devlin reached Barrowman, but the former Blues youngster made a hash of his attempted shot in the 15th minute.
The Glovers lost midfielder Kevin Amankwaah with a leg injury four minutes later after a foul by Ishmel Demontagnac, but after switching their formation they took the lead in 24 minutes when no one challenged Andy Lindegaard who ran deep into the defence before crossing to Matthew
Harrold who was able to chest the ball down before volleying low past the keeper.
Lack of finishing power had been a worry to Broadhurst since he took the job, and in the 28th minute Kevin James somehow failed to make contact right in front of goal when Demontagnac crossed a beauty.
Walsall, missing he influence of the suspended Mills and Osborn in midfield, then handed Yeovil a second goal after 33 minutes. Ian Roper failed to connect with the ball and left the grateful Arron Davies with the simple task of hammering it beyond Oakes.
At half-time some disappointed Walsall fans booed the team off the field, and in the second half they were mocked by the small band of Yeovil fans chanting "You're supposed to be at home".
James missed one great chance to head in a cross from Paul Devlin in the 64th minute, and a comedy of errors saw goalkeeper Andy Oakes once completely miss his kick outside the penalty box leaving Davies clear, but Anthony Gerrard got back to prevent a third goal.
Gerrard also did well to clear a goal-bound shot off the line in the 85th minute, and with Bradford and Gillingham both winning it was a wretched night for the Saddlers.
Broadhurst will now redouble his efforts to sign a new man before Saturday, but he has already had several disappointments.
