Vale go through on penalties
WALSALL: Karl Darlow, Richard Taundry, Andy Butler, Nicky Featherstone, Florent Cuvelier, Will Grigg, Jamie Paterson, Ashley Hemmings, Paul Downing, James Baxendale, Andy Taylor. SUBS: David Grof, Febian Brandy, Ben Purkiss, Jake Jones, George Bowerman.PORT VALE: Sam Johnson, Adam Yates, Rob Taylor, John McCombe, Jennison Myrie-Williams, Ashley Vincent, Tom Pope, Chris Shuker, Ben Williamson, Ryan Burge, Richard Duffy. SUBS: Gareth Owen, Louis Dodds, Joe Davis, Kingsley James, Ryan Lloyd.
ATTENDANCE: 2,845 including 943 visiting supporters
Vale were in search of their first ever win at the Banks’s Stadium and only their second away win against Walsall since 1956.
Vale started the game brightly, going straight on the attack andWalsallwere more or less pinned deep inside their own half for much of the opening minutes.
The travelling supporters were in fine voice and Vale were giving them plenty to shout about. It was almost like a home game with the atmosphere and hoe Vale were playing.
Richard Duffy went close to opening he scoring with a header, then Tom Pope forced Karl Darlow into making a fine save, going full stretch to push away the Vale striker’s twenty yard drive.
The home side gradually played their way into the game and really ought to have done better when Hemmings was well placed to meet a right wing cross from Taundry, but he could only manage to direct his header over the crossbar.
minute when Richard Duffy handled in the box and the referee immediately pointed to the spot.thThe home side got the breakthrough in the 25
Florent Cuvelier placed the ball down and then sent Sam Johnson the wrong way, placing the penalty inside the Vale ‘keeper’s right hand post.
Vale did little to seriously threaten a resurgent home side who seemed to have found their early season confidence following their two recent defeats.
Walsallknocked the ball around well, though the Vale defence seemed well organised and protected debutant goalkeeper Sam Johnson well.
Darlow did well to sprint from his line and take the ball at the feet of pope as the Vale striker chased a long ball, but the Valiants went in at the break trailing.
Vale couldn’t have had a worse start to the second half. They went behind after 90 seconds when Will Grigg took advantage of a slip by Richard Duffy and hammered a low 15 yard shot low inside Johnson’s right hand post.
collected a pass 25 yards from goal and fired past Darlow from the edge of the box to make it 2-1.RYAN BURGETwo minutes later Vale were back in it when
Vale ‘keeper Sam Johnson made an impressive one-handed save, diving to his left to keep out a 20 yard free kick taken by Paterson.
The young Vale ‘keeper was in action again moments later, this time reacting well to push a shot from Hemmings around the post for a corner.
A 20 yard drive from Ben Williamson stung the fingers of Darlow as Vale pushed for an equaliser, and moments later they were level.
TOM POPE minute equaliser.stpicked the ball up inside the box and at first it seemed there was no room to get in a shot, but the in-form striker kept his head and drove the ball across the ‘keeper and inside the far post for a 61
MickyAdams minute, sending on young winger Ryan Lloyd to replace Ashley Vincent.thdecided on a change in the 64
minute with Joe Davis coming off the bench. Richard Duffy was the man he replaced in the middle of the Vale defence.thVale made a second substitution in the 77
minute when Louis Dodds came of for Ben Williamson.ndA third and final substitution took place in the 82
Vale almost snatched the win in the first minute of stoppage time when Burge slipped the ball to his right and Dodds struck the outside of the post from 12 yards.
After four minutes of stoppage time, with the score all square, the game went to penalties.
WALSALL: George Bowerman – Goal – 1-0
VALE: Jennison Myrie-Williams – Goal – 1-1
WALSALLJamie Paterson – Hit the post – 1-1 :
Chris Shuker – Saved – 1-1 VALE:
WALSALL: Andy Taylor – Goal – 2-1
VALE: Ryan Burge – Saved – 2-1
WALSALL: Florent Cuvelier – Saved – 2-1
VALE: Tom Pope – Goal – 2-1
WALSALL: Nicky Featherstone – Saved – 2-2
VALE: Joe Davis – Missed – 2-2
WALSALL: Richard Taundry – Missed – 2-2
VALE: Rob Taylor – Saved – 2-2
WALSALL: Febian Brandy – Missed – 2-2
VALE: Louis Dodds – Saved – 2-2
WALSALL: Andy Butler – Goal – 3-2
VALE: Ryan Lloyd – Goal – 3-3
WALSALL: Paul Downing – Goal – 4-3
VALE: Adam Yates – Goal – 4-4
WALSALL: Jake Jones – Goal – 5-4
VALE: John McCombe – Goal – 5-5
WALSALL– Karl Darlow – Saved – 5-5
VALE: Sam Johnson – Goal – 5-6