Exeter keep pace in play-off race with victory at Walsall

Exeter boosted their play-off hopes with a 2-0 victory at 10-man Walsall.

Set-piece headers from Tim Dieng and Cheick Diabate kept the Grecians within a point of the top seven as Walsall, who had Rollin Menayese sent off, suffered a third straight defeat.

Saddlers keeper Carl Rushworth made three fine stops in the opening 10 minutes, a fantastic double save to thwart two close-range Offrande Zanzala headers before foiling Matt Jay’s 20-yarder.

But the Saddlers stopper erred for Exeter’s 45th-minute opener, misjudging an Archie Collins corner as Dieng buried a powerful header from six yards.

Exeter almost doubled their lead two minutes into the second half as Hayden White headed Jevani Brown’s cross on to his own bar.

Walsall were reduced to 10 men on 50 minutes as Menayese, booked in the first half for fouling Brown, clattered the City man after he dispossessed wandering keeper Rushworth.

Exeter had chances to add a second, Brown drilling inches wide and Collins superbly denied by Rushworth before Diabate headed in his first professional goal on 85 minutes to seal victory.