Walsall 0 Port Vale 1 - Report and pictures

A youthful Walsall side slipped to defeat in their penultimate game of the season as relegation threatened Port Vale ran out 1-0 winners at the Banks's Stadium.

After being disappointed with this team's display in Saturday's defeat to Coventry, boss Jon Whitney handed first-team opportunities to teenagers Kory Roberts, Maz Kouyhar and George Dobson.

The Saddlers had their chances to win the game with Kieron Morris hitting the crossbar and Leonardo Fasan making a great save to deny Amadou Bakayoko.

But with their League One status on the line, Port Vale found a late winner when Chris Eagles arrowed a stunning strike into the top corner from the edge of the box.

Analysis

Having vowed to make changes following his team's poor display at Coventry, Whitney stuck to his word with the manager naming a youthful side for the visit of Michael Brown's men.

Plumping for a 3-4-3 formation, teenagers Roberts, Dobson and Kouhyar all came into the starting line-up..

There was an even more youthful look to the subs bench where all seven players were aged 21 or under with 17-year-old Dan Vann included in a first-team squad for the first time.

Port Vale, who entered the clash having lost their last five games without scoring a goal, lined up in a 4-1-4-1 formation with Dan Turner the lone frontman.

In what was a flat and uneventful opening 20 minutes, it was the visitors who made marginally the better start with Chris Eagles firing straight at Craig MacGillivray from 25-yards and Sam Foley hitting a tame overhead kick wide.

Slowly but surely though the Saddlers began to take control with Whitney's men coming a whisker away from breaking the deadlock midway through the half.

After Kouyhar had found Kieron Morris on the edge of the box, the 22-year-old looked to curl the ball into the top corner only for his effort to cannon off the crossbar.

Amadou Bakayoko then won the duel with Leonardo Fasan to win the loose ball but defender Nathan Smith was well positioned behind his keeper to clear just in front of goal line.

Suddenly it was all Walsall with Jason McCarthy hitting the byline before cutting the ball back to Morris who saw a fierce strike blocked behind by a defener.

From the resultant corner, Joe Edwards put the ball back into the danger area with James O'Connor flicking a header at goal only for a back-peddling Fasan to brilliantly tip the effort over the bar.

Walsall continued of the front foot as the clock ticked towards half-time. But it was the visitors who almost went into the interval ahead after two quick-fire chances in stoppage time.

First, Remie Street headed wide following a deep cross into the box. Then just seconds later, the ball fell kindly in the box for Turner who fired a powerful effort inches over the bar.

Vale seemed to have more eagerness about them after taking on board their half-time instructions.

But it was Walsall who created the first chance after the break with a brilliant Dobson ball sending McCarthy galloping away down the right.

The Southampton loanee then managed to pick out Morris who entered the box only to see a low strike blocked for a corner.

Buoyed the Saddlers continued to press with Whitney's men creating a glorious chance to break the deadlock just before the hour mark.

An Edwards ball over the top was brilliantly taken down by Bakayoko with the striker's touch putting him through on goal.

But the forward then tried to loft the ball over the onrushing Fasan with the keeper just getting enough on the effort to tip it wide.

Suddenly the game had become open with Bakayoko sending an overhead kick wide following a McCarthy cross.

Port Vale hit back and should have taken the lead minutes later when Eagles sent in a dangerous cross which Sam Foley powerfully headed wide.

Whitney made his first change with little over 20 minutes remaining – the boss handing a first team debut to Tobias Halyes-Docherty who replaced Kouyhar.

And the scholar made an instant impact after turning on half way and going on a mazy run that saw him beat one defender before his low cross was cleared.

With just 15 minutes to save their League One status, Vale started to have a spell of possession in and around the Saddlers box.

But they were struggling to create anything of the note with Roberts, O'Connor and Preston all defending excellently.

That all changed though in a frantic spell which began in the 84^th minute and saw the visitors create two good chances – the second of which they took.

First Billy Reeves looked destined to put Vale ahead when the ball broke kindly for him in the box only for Roberts to spectacularly fling himself in front of the effort to block.

Seconds later though the Valiants did grab a winner with a moment of magic from Eagles.

After a cross into the box was cleared, the former Burnley man collected the ball on the edge of the box before rifling an unstoppable strike into the top corner and out of the reach of MacGillivary.

Vale then did everything they could to make the game scrappy in the closing stages. And that saw them over the line to register only their second away win of the season.