Strike partners Jamille Matt and Josh Gordon earned praise from Walsall manager Mat Sadler as the ruthless side beat Morecambe with a 3-0 League Two win.
The score did not tell the whole story with the Saddlers having to withstand plenty of pressure to move to within three points of the play-off places – despite remaining in 16th place.
Sadler said: “I thought Jamille and Josh up front were awesome and they beat them up. That was how I saw the game.
“I think by the 60 to 75-minute mark, they wanted no more of what they were offering and that was top centre-forward work from those guys, they brought everyone else into the game.
“Jamille and Josh did so much work off the ball. That is what’s brilliant about having those two working together because they understand the game.
“It was a brilliant performance from front to back and we have got a bit of momentum.
“I faced Jamille on numerous occasions as a player so I know what he is like and it wasn’t very pleasant. He is so strong and mobile.”
Walsall almost led when Isaac Hutchinson’s rising drive had to be tipped over by Archie Mair at the near post and the deadlock was broken from the corner that followed.
Hutchinson showing clever footwork before finding Ross Tierney to thump the ball low into the bottom corner in the 13th minute.
It was 2-0 when Matt’s colossal leap flicked Gordon into space in the right of the box to cut back from a tight spot for Matt to force inside the far post in the 26th minute.
Morecambe built more pressure early in the second half but the game was up when substitute Jack Earing found Matt to nudge the ball against the post, with on-loan Norwich defender Emmanuel Adegboyega slamming home the rebound in the 66th minute.
Sadler was pleased with the clean sheet, adding: “Clearly the squad is stretched and we had a back three which hadn’t played together all season but I thought they were brilliant from start to finish.
“Most importantly, that desire to want to keep a clean sheet was evident throughout.”
Opposite number Ged Brannan argued Morecambe had been the better side but also architects of their own downfall.
“We played some good football but we can’t concede two goals like we did in the first half,” he said.
“We dominated play without really hurting them, then we got two crosses in like that and we didn’t pick up. It is hard to swallow.
“We’re a good team. We were better than Walsall tonight, they sat in and counterattacked us and could afford to do that being two goals up.
“We believed in ourselves and tried to get a goal but it didn’t fall for us.”
Brentford 3-1 Southampton: Bees begin life after Toney with comfortable win
Brentford began life without Ivan Toney with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Southampton.
Bryan Mbeumo’s brace and a Yoane Wissa goal proved to be the difference between the two sides and condemned the Saints to their third straight loss since promotion back to the Premier League.
With departed striker Toney watching in the stands after his move to Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, the hosts proved too strong for Russell Martin’s men. They created the superior chances and capitalised on an error-strewn performance from Southampton’s backline.
Mbeumo opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time before doubling the lead halfway through the second period and Wissa then got on the scoresheet moments later to continue Brentford’s strong start to the campaign. Yukinari Sugawara bagged a consolation in injury time for the Saints.
Brentford sit in fifth place ahead of the first international break, while Southampton are second-bottom of the league table with zero points.
Data debrief: Wissa continues to prove effective at home
Wissa now has five goals and two assists in his last seven matches at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Brentford have recorded consecutive home league wins for the first time since last November, and the first time in their opening home games since August 2018.
Brentford 3-1 Southampton: Bees begin life without Toney with comfortable win
Brentford began life without Ivan Toney with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Southampton.
Bryan Mbeumo’s brace and a Yoane Wissa goal proved to be the difference between the two sides and condemned the Saints to their third straight loss since promotion back to the Premier League.
With departed striker Toney watching in the stands after his move to Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, the hosts proved too strong for Russell Martin’s men. They created the superior chances and capitalised on an error-strewn performance from Southampton’s backline.
Mbeumo opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time before doubling the lead halfway through the second period and Wissa then got on the scoresheet moments later to continue Brentford’s strong start to the campaign. Yukinari Sugawara bagged a consolation in injury time for the Saints.
Brentford sit in fifth place ahead of the first international break, while Southampton are second-bottom of the league table with zero points.
Data debrief: Wissa continues to prove effective at home
Wissa now has five goals and two assists in his last seven matches at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Brentford have recorded consecutive home league wins for the first time since last November, and the first time in their opening home games since August 2018.
Pirlo sacked as Sampdoria head coach after dismal Serie B start
Andrea Pirlo has been sacked as Sampdoria's head coach after just over a season at the helm.
Pirlo, who managed Juventus for the 2020-21 campaign, has been relieved of his duties after an underwhelming start to their Serie B season.
After finishing seventh in Italy's second tier last term, the 45-year-old was given the green light to try and return to Serie A at the second time of asking.
However, an opening day draw with Frosinone was followed up with back-to-back defeats to Reggiana and Salernitana, leaving them second-bottom in the division.
During his time in charge, Pirlo won 18 of his 45 matches in charge (D10 L17), averaging 1.42 points per game, a total only bettered by his time with Juventus (2.15).
Sampdoria return to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris this weekend in search of their first three points of the season, welcoming Bari to Genoa on Saturday.
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