Walsall cruised to a comfortable 2-0 win at Southend thanks to goals from Tom Bradshaw and Sam Mantom.
Bradshaw fired the Saddlers in front after just eight minutes with his fourth goal of the season when he drilled a low, left-foot shot into the bottom right-hand corner of the net from 12 yards.
Mantom wasted a great chance to make it 2-0 when he fired straight at Southend's sought-after goalkeeper Daniel Bentley from inside the penalty area.
But Mantom made no mistake three minutes into the second half when Andy Taylor's left-wing cross deflected into his path and the midfielder stroked a low, 18-yard shot into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
A last-ditch sliding challenge from Ryan Leonard stopped Romaine Sawyers making it 3-0 before the Shrimpers saw Anthony Wordsworth's close-range header ruled out for offside.
Southend's David Worrall also had an effort cleared off the line by Jason Demetriou before Bentley, who has Championship suitors, did well to deny both James Baxendale and Jordan Cook in the closing stages.