Top two finish level as reserves draw with champions Walsall
Port Vale 2 (2) v Walsall 2 (1)
Wednesday 08 March 2017
TOP TWO FINISH LEVEL AS RESERVES DRAW WITH CHAMPIONS WALSALL
PORT VALE:Ryan Boot Brian Barton, Liam Bartram, Enoch Andoh (Mike Conlon 46). , James Gibbons (Ben Fraser 46), Charlie Walford, Paulo Tavares (James Steele 46), A Trialist (Jake Thomas 57), Luke Dennis, Gazim Shelaj, Mike Calverley,
SUBS NOT USED:Joe Slinn.
WALSALL:Brandon Ganley, Sam Tonks (Ashley Maddocks 70),Callum Cockerill-Mollett,Jordan Sangha, Kory Roberts, Theo Vassel, Will Shorrock (Lezion Cela53), Milan Butterfield, Cameron Peters (Mitch Candlin 60), Liam Kinsella, Tobias Hayles-Docherty (Dan Vann83).
SUBS NOT USED:Brandon Caswell.
minute when Gibbon’s was booked for a foul on right hand edge of the area and from the free kick Butterfield, who was unmarked at the back post headed down but just the wrong side of the post.rdWith Walsall delayed because of problems on the M6 and consequently the A34 the kick off was delayed by 30 minutes. Vale kicked off with an unnamed tall triallist at centre-back and Enoch Andoh on the wing. The game was played in the midfield for the first quarter of the game with neither ‘keeper being tested at all. The first incident of note came in the 23
, under pressure curled the ball over the ‘keeper and into the far corner of the net. Soon after a Vale cross was hacked over the bar by a defender giving Vale a corner that was easily cleared away.Barton minute as Vale took the lead with a spectacular goal. Mottram had his back to goal on the edge of the area and in attempting to turn and shoot the ball was knocked a couple of yards back where th3 minutes later a blocked cross at the goal line spun up and forced Boot to palm it outside the post for a corner that came to nothing. The crowd sprung to life in the 35
was first to the loose ball to hammer it into the roof of the net from 10 yards before the challenge from a defender arrived. MottramWalsall equalised after 42 minutes with another long range shot as the ball was partially cleared to Hayles-Docherty who shot from 30 yards and the ball squirmed through Boot’s hands and under his body into the corner of the net. Vale retook the lead within a minute as a powerful Tavares shot was parried by Ganley but
Approaching the 65 minute mark Butterfield again attempted a long range effort but this time the ball was straight into Boot’s midriff. With the first team game on Saturday in mind Vale removed Gibbons and Tavares and also Andoh who looked months away from being ready for first team action as everything he did in the first period was very tentative. Within a few minutes of the restart Butterfield nicked the in midfield and moved forward on goal to unleash a drive that flew a few feet over the bar.
minute as Maddocks crashed a dipping volley against the bar and Candlin was on hand to slot the ball home from close range.thThe next effort was a sharp shot on the turn from Conlon that brought a good parry by Ganley in the visitors’ goal. Shalaj tried his luck from distance but was high and wide. Walsall equalised in the 79
With a few minutes left a Vale attack broke down and Calverley shot from 30 yards but this was blocked with the ball falling to Shalaj who hit it first time to see his drive fly just the wrong side of the post with the ‘keeper stranded.
Lindon Roberts – Port Vale Volunteers Group