On Saturday afternoon Walsall Football Club played host to near-rivals Port Vale, in the latest Sky Bet League 1 fixture of the season. Bescot Banter columnist Scott Brotherton was in attendance, and shares his match report below.
Walsall started brightly and won a corner early on, but failed to make much of their first opportunity of the game, the corner easily cleared by an alert Vale defence.
The Saddlers also gave away a free kick early on as right-back Ben Purkiss felled Marshall as he was in full flow.
Jordan Cook sent in a cross that just evaded James Baxendale at the far post in the tenth minute, as neither side had a shot on goal early on.
The lively Cook then pulled the ball back for Romaine Sawyers, who spun expertly but his low shot was easy for Vale keeper Chris Neal.
There was also a huge penalty appeal for Walsall when Jordy Hiwula went down in the area under pressure from Ryan Inniss. The referee saw nothing doing and left the home fans incensed.
The visitors began to take some control as Ben Williamson was through on the edge of the area but Saddlers goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell threw himself at the shot to save for a corner.
28' GOAL WALSALL 0 PORT VALE 1
And it was from that corner that the Valiants gained a 28th minute lead. Carl Dickinson's cross was met by Tom Pope, he made no mistake with a firm header past the 'keeper, despite appearing to climb over Saddlers defender Andy Taylor.
Walsall offered a dangerous reply. Sawyers jinked inside and struck the base of the post, while Cook warmed the hands of Neal from range.
Cook then blasted a close quarters free kick right into the wall, with Andy Taylor slicing the rebound wide.
Walsall put Vale under siege in the closing minutes but Rob Page's side defended superbly to keep their 1-0 lead at the break.
The Saddlers continued to dominate possession in the second half but with little going forward.
H/T WALSALL 0 PORT VALE 1
Early in the second half Walsall winger Jordan Cook broke free from his marker, jinked inside and struck a shot that flew away and eventually out of the ground, Cook's shooting ability not on sow as we got back underway.
Sawyers threaded a ball through to Hiwula and he dinked over the oncoming Neal but the chance dropped wide.
Sawyers threaded a ball through to Hiwula and he dinked over the oncoming Neal but the chance dropped wide.
Vale then won a free kick when Andy Taylor wrestled Williamson to the floor, and Michael O'Connor's deflected strike drew a smart reflex save from Walsall stopper O'Donnell.
Pope also out-jumped James O'Connor to meet Dickinson's cross, however his header lacked enough power to trouble the keeper.
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Byron Moore, in his first start for the visitors, tricked his way past Taylor and made O'Donnell save again at his near post.
For all the hosts' possession Port Vale were having better chances and a bobbly pitch was limiting the slick passing that both sides are used to.
The scrappy game seemed to suit Vale with their 1-0 lead and, although the Saddlers rallied late on, including a Jordan Cook drive that stung 'keeper Neal's hands, they couldn't find the elusive equaliser and slipped to another defeat at home.
F/T WALSALL 0 PORT VALE 1
By: Scott Brotherton.
RESULT WALSALL 0 PORT VALE 1
GOAL Pope 28'
AT Banks's Stadium (Walsall)
ATTENDANCE 4,504 (723 Port Vale)
REFEREE Mr. Andy D'Urso (Essex)
WALSALL O'Donnell; Purkiss, Downing , O'Connor, Taylor ; A.Chambers, Cain (Murphy 80'); Cook, Sawyers, Baxendale (Grimes 55'); Hiwula (Henry 74')
SUBS NOT USED MacGillivray; Preston; Kinsella, Flanagan
PORT VALE Neal; Dickinson, Inniss , Brown (Lines 45'), Robertson, Moore, Williamson (O'Sullivan 84'), O'Connor, Marshall (Birchall 90+2'), Veseli, Pope