A BRACE from Erhun Oztumer was enough to secure Walsall a first away league win of the season against a lacklustre Swindon Town.

The Saddlers number 10 lit the first half up with wonder strike from just inside the Town half as he capitalised on Darnell Furlong’s miss-placed pass.

Andrea Makris struck the bar seconds into the second half before Oztumer wrapped up the win with a deft touch in the box in the 51st minute to leave Swindon procariously close to the bottom four.

With Yaser Kasim back from serving his one-match suspension, he came straight into the starting XI in place of Tom Smith, who has a hip flexor injury, as Luke Williams remained with a 4-2-3-1 formation.

After a dull opening 15 minutes, the game sparked into life I the 17th minute courtesy of a bit of audacious quality from Walsall’s Oztumer.

Furlong didn’t look as he passed the ball inside from the touchline and it landed at the feet of the Walsall number 10, who took a touch before spotting Lawrence Vigouroux off his line and his effort from 40 yards out sailed over the Swindon stopper and into the back of the net.

Swindon tried to respond but were found wanting with their final ball as Neil Etheridge barely had a save to make in the Walsall goal.

A half chance fell to the feet of Nathan Delfouneso moments before the break when Kasim found him at the back post with a lovely ball over the top but the striker’s first touch let him down.

Swindon had the crossbar to thank for the deficit staying at just one 40 seconds after the break when Andrea Makris was denied by the woodwork.

Franck Moussa picked up the ball down the right and with Bradley Barry, who was brought on as a half-time substitute for James Brophy, absent at left back, the Walsall man drove into the box.

The ball into the six-yard-box was behind Cypriot Makris and his right-footed effort was hit into the turf and bounced off the bar and was cleared from danger.

However, Walsall’s second was not long in the coming as Kevin Toner delivered a long ball forward in the 51st minute and Oztumer delightfully flicked the ball into the far corner past a hapless Vigouroux.

Walsall should have further extended their lead when Oztumer offered further problems to the Town defence as he made a tricky run in the box before laying the ball on a plate for Kieron Morris, only for the midfielder to lean back and fire well over the bar.

Vigouroux pulled off a fine, and his first meaningful save of the game in the 87th minute has he denied Oztumer his hat-trick with a dive to his right.

SWINDON TOWN: Vigouroux; Furlong, Thomas, Thompson, Brophy (Barry 45’); Rodgers, Kasim, Goddard, Murray, Iandolo (Norris 66’); Delfouneso

Unused subs: Henry, Evans, Georgaklis, Ouldridge, Twine

Referee: Darren England

Attendance: 6,655