The first
half got under-way at Vale Park relatively quietly, with few chances for either
side. Vale, with league twos top scorer from last season Tom Pope leading the
line, did try to get on the front foot, playing down the flanks frequently. The
only real dangers created early on were down the wings, especially the Vale
right, where Benning was beaten for pace on more than one occasion but
recovered well.
As the game
started to grow on the worrying thing that became apparent was that we were
losing a lot of the key battles, in the air and on the ground. We took more
than one scare after Vale players won headers from crosses or corners, but
luckily none of them had much direction on them.
It was plain
to see that the game wasn’t going to be of the quality we showed at Tranmere at
this point, as we struggled to really get a foothold in the game. Too many
times was Lalkovic caught offside, ending most of our attacks dead and limiting
us to few half chances as we entered the later stages of the half. However, all
was not lost. In the true fashion we have shown at the end of last season and
our very brief experience so far this season, we kept fighting, and managed to
break the deadlock just before the end of the first period. The goal which was
accredited by many sources (Including BBC and Sky Sports) to Craig Westcarr was
actually scored by Ash Hemmings after the ball had rebounded off the bar. 1-0
Walsall, perhaps against the run of play, but we were not complaining.
H/T:
PORT VALE 0 WALSALL 1
From the
second half we had kind of hoped that the goal just before the break would set
the tone and we could go out and win it. The atmosphere in the away end was
rocking, as well, ironically helped by the presence of old Walsall nemesis Lee
Hughes warming up on the sidelines.
However the
second 45 was much the same as its predecessor at first, with Vale winning many
headers in and around our box, and ultimately it was this that allowed us to
get pegged back and stuck in our own third. Eventually, Vale did take advantage
of this, after a long free kick into the box from Chris Lines, the header was
once again won by the home side, this time sending the ball over O’Donnell’s
head into the net.
From the run
of play this was worrying, Vale had been on top and now they were level and
surely favourites to go on and win it. However for me one of the turning points
was Smith’s decision to make what could have been a risky change, taking of
Milan Lalkovic and throwing on Sawyers. The man from West Brom really did show,
though, and offered us new options in the form of breakaway chances. We began
to pass the ball better also, and were looking much more like the side we
cheered off Saturday.
As the game
wore old, the big moment came, very controversially. As Vale screamed for what
did seem to be a penalty, with Downing pulling his man down, Hemmings broke
with Baxendale in support. Its hard to describe how high quality the next part
was. Hemmings it back to Baxendale who then gave it him back one more and
overlapped to receive it yet again. He dummies the first defender superbly,
took it round a second and shot from 20 yards like a bullet into the corner of
the net.
All that was
left really after this was for Port Vale to bring on Hughes. And despite not
showing it I’m sure there were some more hearts beating faster in the away end
as he picked the ball up 20 yards out but was tackled brilliantly. The four
minutes added on were greeted with cheers from the home fans, but truthfully we
contained the well and they never troubled us again.
F/T: Port Vale 1 (Robertson 58') Walsall 2 (Hemmings 42', Baxendale 83')
ATT: 4,013
REF: A Haines
ATT: 4,013
REF: A Haines
Overall this
was a great result, especially against old enemies Vale. Despite poor football
at times we did come good again, and with the appearance of Sawyers we showed
we have what we have not had for some time, strength in depth. The wingers
played well once again, now just tighten up that defence a bit and start
winning some of the battles in our final third and we really will be a force to
be reckoned with.
By: Sam Wright