Darren Wrack's clinical early strike for Walsall proved to be the difference on another miserable afternoon for managerless League One basement side Stockport County at Edgeley Park.
Wrack bagged his third goal in as many games to send the Saddlers back down the M6 with maximum points.
A much-changed Stockport side, under caretaker-boss Mark Lillis, had the first clear-cut chance just four minutes in when Mark Wright's poor defensive header was pounced upon by Mark Robertson, but the Aussie midfielder blazed a shot over from 15 yards.
Gary Birch then headed a foot over for the visitors, who eventually took the lead on 13 minutes.
Player-boss Paul Merson played a harmless-looking cross in from the right, the ball was missed by the Stockport defence and there was Wrack, unmarked, who fired home comfortably from 12 yards.
Struggling County were not to be deterred, however, and five minutes later Warren Feeney was unlucky when his far-post header was palmed away off the line by Walsall goalkeeper Joe Murphy.
On the half-hour mark the lively Feeney successfully chased a lost cause before unleashing a 25-yard shot which Murphy saved well down low.
The recalled Rickie Lambert also tried his luck from distance for Stockport, but his shot whistled over the crossbar.
On the stroke of half-time, Jorge Leitao should have made it 2-0 to Walsall when he pounced on Ashley Williams' mistake, but his shot was blocked on the line by Stockport skipper Danny Griffin.
After the break, the home side continued to look fragile at the back and substitute Matt Fryatt came close to grabbing Walsall's second on 69 minutes when he fired a whisker wide of the far post.