Express & Star

Brian Dutton: Walsall were deserved winners

Assistant manager Brian Dutton believes Walsall were deserved winners in their 3-1 victory over Port Vale.

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Two Elijah Adebayo goals came either side of a Tom Conlon strike - that also came from a Liam Roberts mistake - before Vale goalkeeper Scott Brown handed Walsall a third goal.

In freezing temperatures and snowy conditions the Saddlers had to battle the elements and the difficult pitch to come away with a worthwhile win.

“Similar to Morecambe, it wasn’t one for the purists,” Dutton said.

“The football on show was very back to front and robust but if you step foot on the pitch you’ll understand why. It’s a terrible pitch to play football on.

“It was a game about territory and winning second balls. Winning it on a set piece or with a little bit of skill and craft.

“We were deserved winners in the end.

“The first half we started well and took our foot off the gas. We let them back into the game and finished the first half really poorly.

“In the second half we asserted ourselves and deserved the win.”

Meanwhile, Jack Nolan was surprisingly left out of the squad after two good performances ahead of the trip to Vale Park.

Tyreik Wright came in for his debut and fellow loanees Frank Vincent and Jayden Reid were on the bench - and Dutton has revealed Nolan was simply rested.

“We’ve brought these boys in and we have a real depth to the squad,” Dutton said.

“Jack has played two games on the bounce and it’s the first time he’s ever done that in men’s football.

“He’s a player who has struggled with his fitness previously so the gaffer no doubt wanted to freshen it up a little bit in that area of the pitch.

“I thought it worked well. Tyreik has come in and you wouldn’t have known that was his first game in men’s football.

“He was exceptional, as Jack has been in his previous two games.”

When asked whether Nolan was injured or just rested Dutton added. “Yeah, he’s fit.”