2307 travelling fans witnessed the Valiants pegged back on two occasions as Vale continued their play-off challenge with a battling draw at the Bescott Stadium. Goals from Leon Legge and Scott Burgess were not enough to hold off a Walsall side, themselves having won two out of their last three, come from behind twice through Elijah Adebayo and Josh Gordon.
It was Vale that took the lead as early as the twelfth minute after good work from Cristian Montano earned Vale a Corner. Quick thinking from David Worrall saw him play a short pass to Tom Conlon on the corner of the penalty box, who took a touch before firing a searching cross towards the back post. Legge drifted away from his marker before meeting the ball with a powerful header, the ball past Jack Rose before he could get anything on it.
When many would think that Vale would push for a second, they were hit with a sucker punch just moments later. Good play in the middle of the park allowed Rory Holden to get a snapshot away, possibly surprising Vale stopper Scott Brown, who could only parry away the midfielder’s effort. Several players looked to react to the ball dropping around the penalty spot, but it was Saddler striker Adebayo that reacted the quickest and stabbed the ball into an empty net.
Despite the body blow, Vale reacted well and some what fortuitously regained the lead on thirty-six minutes. Good interplay between Burgess and Conlon on the edge of the Walsall box found Conlon in the inside left channel but becoming crowded out. A smart drag back though found Burgess still in support on the edge of the dee, taking a touch before striking left footed goalward. Defender Dan Scarr must have thought he’d done everything right charging the effort down, but the ball deflected horribly, left Rose flat footed and the ball nestling in the bottom left hand corner of the net.
Walsall started the second half much the stronger and it was no surprise when Walsall scored their second equaliser of the afternoon on fifty-eight minutes. This time Adebayo turned provided making good ground behind the Vale defence before squaring to Gordon who took a touch and firing under Brown in the Vale goal.
Walsall must have thought they’d take the lead on sixty-five minutes, but Brown again showed just why he is one of the best goalkeepers in League Two. Wes McDonald made good progress down the left touchline before sliding a pass behind an exposed Shaun Brisley, setting Gordon free in the Vale box. The striker did everything right lifting his head before firing a ball across the six yard box, beyond a desperate Montano and on a plate for strike partner Adebayo who calmly stroked the ball goalward only to see Brown make a remarkable one handed save, Legge completing the clearance.
Vale might have snatched the points themselves late on, Worrall having a rasping half volley saved well by Rose in the Walsall goal but few would begrudge the Saddlers a point on a day where Vale’s battling qualities were put to the test, a test they again passed remaining in and around the play off picture and keeping the unbeaten run going for another week.
I spoke to Manny Oyeleke and got his thoughts after the game.
