Port Vale will welcome Walsall to Vale Park today as they return to league action, and look to make it three wins on the bounce in all competitions. After wins in the FA Cup and Leasing.com Trophy last week, the Valiants will be hoping they can carry their form into the league. You can find all of the key information regarding the game, below.
Fixture: Port Vale vs Walsall
Competition: Sky Bet League Two
Date: Saturday 7th December 2019
Kick-Off: 3:00 pm
Venue: Vale Park
Referee: Andy Haines
Port Vale
Manager: John Askey
Form: WWLWW
Top Goal Scorer: Jake Taylor (6 goals all comps)
The Vale will be hoping they can bounce back to winning ways in the league today after suffering defeat on the road at Scunthorpe United last time out.
They will enter the fixture full of confidence however after picking up a 3-1 win away at Cheltenham Town in the FA Cup and a penalty victory at home to Mansfield Town in the Leasing.com Trophy in the past week.
John Askey has not been handed any fresh injury concerns ahead of the clash, but will be without Luke Joyce who is suspended for collecting too many yellow cards, along with David Worrall who is serving the second game of his three match ban after being sent off against Scunthorpe. Manny Oyeleke and Adam Crookes are the only two players still forced out via injury. That aside Askey has a fully fit squad to choose from.
“To win two cup competitions in the space of three or four days is good, and we will move on to the league which really is the most important thing.
John Askey, Port Vale Manager
Walsall
Manager: Darrell Clarke
Form: WWDLW
Top Goal Scorer: Caolan Lavery (5 goals all comps)
The Saddlers had a difficult start to life in League Two following their relegation last season, leaving them sat just above the relegation zone, but have begun to turn things around in recent weeks, setting their sights on returning to League One.
Much like the Valiants, Walsall were able to advance to the third round of the Leasing.com trophy Tuesday night, as they came from two goals down to secure a dramatic late victory over the Chelsea under-21’s.
Defender Callum Cockerill-Mollett is set to be unavailable for the clash after he was forced to limp off the field on Tuesday night in Walsall’s game again the Chelsea under-21’s, that aside Clarke has a fully fit squad to choose from.
One to watch: Caolan Lavery
Walsall’s Canadian born striker began his career in Canada with Red Deer Renegades and Goodyear FC before moving to England in 2009, where he joined the Ipswich Town academy before moving to Sheffield Wednesday’s academy.
It was at Sheffield Wednesday where Lavery was sent out on a number of loans to sides such as Southend United, Plymouth Argyle and Portsmouth, before finally getting his chance for parent club Wednesday.
In 2016 he turned down a contract offer from the Owl’s to make the controversial switch to local rivals Sheffield United, where after featuring occasionally for the club he was sent on loan to Rotherham United and Bury.
Once Lavery’s contract expired he was picked up by Walsall this summer, and has hit form, scoring five times so far this season across all competitions and helping the Saddlers get their season back on track.
Talk:
Dave Kevan: “Every game’s tough, regardless of league positions, that’s irrelevant at this stage, we know that Walsall have some good players and it’s another tough game for us.”
Michael Duff: "We know it'll be a tough game, they have a decent home record but we go there with plenty of confidence.”
Coverage:
iFollow The Vale will be providing full 90-minute commentary from the match, whilst the Port Vale Twitter and Facebook feeds will be providing live updates for the entirety.
There will also be the build-up to the game with the official Snapchat and Instagram accounts: officialpvfc
Reaction will be available on the official website post-match, as well as on YouTube, iFollow and social media.