Evan Weir scores twice to help Walsall to victory against Tranmere

Defender Evan Weir’s delightful double helped Walsall to a roller-coaster 4-2 win over Tranmere.

Weir netted an early free-kick and, later, a brilliant instinctive half-volley as the Saddlers saw off spirited Rovers to go third in League Two.

The Irishman drilled a 20-yard set-piece into the top corner to open the scoring nine minutes in.

Rovers responded well and levelled in the 38th minute as Josh Davison persevered despite being fouled out wide and, with advantage played, his low cross was turned home by Joe Ironside.

Tranmere almost completed the turnaround as Daniel Kanu diverted a cross onto his own crossbar and Jordan Turnbull headed the subsequent corner just over.

Instead, Walsall went back ahead in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time, Weir pinging a stunning 18-yard first-time strike into the bottom corner.

Kanu made it 3-1 after 61 minutes, putting a defender on his backside with a neat turn before curling the ball past Rovers goalkeeper Joe Murphy.

Rovers pulled one back in the 89th minute with Billy Blacker’s deflected 20-yard effort but Albert Adomah raced clear in stoppage time to lift the ball over Murphy and seal victory.