Port Vale 0 Walsall 1 - Report

Veteran frontman Matt bagged the winner from Taylor Allen's corner six minutes after the break to extend his season tally to six.



That win sent Walsall above Vale and into a two-point lead at the summit with a game in hand, after they extended their unbeaten run to nine games in League Two (five wins, four draws).



Walsall leapfrogged Vale and have established a two-point lead at the League Two summit.



Mat Sadler named an unchanged XI from the crucial week victory over Notts County as Jamie Jellis missed out again with a calf injury.

The windy conditions made for a scrappy affair which felt very stop-start and featured limited goal scoring chances in the first period.



Rekeem Harper came closest in the opening exchanges when his low deflected effort from distance whistled wide of Tommy Simkin's left-hand post.



Port Vale crept behind the Walsall defence for the first time midway into the first 45 when Ronan Curtis flicked a clever pass around the corner. Rico Richards opened his body up inside the box but could only curl his finish narrowly wide of the far post.



Walsall somewhat settled into the contest after the half-hour mark and had their first real chance of note when Ryan Stirk's effort deflected wide after Connor Barrett's cutback was diverted fortuitously into his path.

Taylor Allen almost repeated his midweek heroics, after scoring directly from a corner against Notts County, when his delivery bent dangerously towards the target and crashed against the top of the crossbar.



And it was from another Allen delivery that Walsall made the breakthrough six minutes after the break. Matt brought down his corner inside the box and unleashed a powerful half volley towards goal. Connor Ripley got both gloves to the ball before it looped over him and into the net.



Shooting towards the over 2,700 Saddlers supporters in the second half, Walsall clicked into gear and threatened to double their advantage when Nathan Lowe had a great chance to add to his handsome tally.

George Hall pickpocketed Ethan Chislett and David Okagbue embarked on a rampaging run before teeing up Lowe who was expertly denied by Ripley.



Next, Walsall welcome League One side Reading to Bescot in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday before hosting Barrow in the league next Saturday.



Teams



Port Vale (3-4-2-1): Ripley; Debrah, Hall, Hart; Cover (Stockley 63), Sang, Croasdale (Byers 70), Harper (John 78); Richards (Hackford 78), Chislett (Paton 63); Curtis.



Not used: Amos, Heneghan.



Walsall (3-1-4-2): Simkin; Okagbue, Williams, Allen; Stirk; Barrett, Hall, Lakin, Gordon; Lowe, Matt (Adomah 79).



Not used: Hornby, McEntee, Daniels, Earing, Weir, Johnson.



Referee: Benjamin Speedie

Attendance: 9,142 (2,711)