A wicked deflection proved costly for Gillingham on Saturday as they left Walsall empty-handed.

Isaac Hutchinson had luck on his side as a deflected effort put the hosts infront early in the second half and former Gills man Conor Wilkinson added a second in stoppage-time.

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Aiden O’Brien replaced Alex MacDonald in the starting eleven as the Gills looked to maintain their safety push against a side without a win in 12 League 2 fixtures.

Michael Flynn - the Walsall manager - and Neil Harris were once team-mates at Priestfield and they were locking horns in a battle at the bottom end of the division.

Promotion hopes for the home side were derailed by the loss of their loan striker Danny Johnson in January, while for the Gills it’s been an upward surge since the turn of the year following their recruiting spree.

Walsall looked determined to end their poor run of form early on but Gills keeper Glenn Morris tipped over an early header from Hutchinson and later in the half made an even better reflex stop to turn Andy Williams’ close-range effort over the bar.

Morris also clung onto a shot from Brandon Comley while the home side wasted a number of set-piece opportunities - Joe Riley putting successive corner kicks straight out of play to the frustration of the home fans.

There weren’t too many clear-cut chances for the Gills as Tom Nichols headed one cross over and came close to sliding in on Tim Dieng’s low ball into the box.

The home side took a 50th minute lead thanks to a massive deflection off the unfortunate Max Ehmer. Tom Knowles had sent Hutchinson away down the home side’s left side and when he cut in, the shot hit the Gills defender, wrong-footing Glenn Morris and nestling into the bottom corner.

O’Brien went close for the Gills as they looked for a way back into the game while Hawkins fired into the away end.

Gillingham hadn’t been short of chances but were unable to make them count, struggling to make the home keeper Owen Evans work.

Walsall remained the most threatening in attack and Hutchinson should have made it 2-0 with 20 minutes left, meeting a low cross and smashing it straight at Morris.

A first chance on target came with four minutes left, Williams arriving onto the end of Alex MacDonald’s free-kick unmarked, but couldn’t find the power to beat the keeper. Moments later Dom Jefferies fired just wide.

Another deflected shot almost made it 2-0 for Walsall but Matty Stevens' effort dropped just wide of the post. Victory was the first in the league for Walsall since January 1.

That win was sealed in stoppage-time when Wilkinson skipped past a couple of challenges before firing past Morris.

Walsall: Evans, Daniels, Monthe, Riley (Songo’o 81mins), Kinsella, Knowles (Stevens 81mins), Williams (Wilkinson 75mins), Comely, Maddox (Low 53mins), McEntee, Hutchinson. Subs not used: Smith, Gordon, Maher.

Gillingham: Morris, Alexander (Abrahams 90mins), Ehmer, Masterson, Tutonda (McKenzie 75mins), Williams, Dieng (Jefferies 75mins), O’Brien, Lapslie (MacDonald 58mins), Nichols, Hawkins. Subs not used: Turner, Wright.

Referee: Sunny Singh Gill

Attendance: 6,709 (439 away)