Young Vale XI blown away in Group Cup Game

Port Vale 0 (0) v Walsall 2 (1)

Northern Cup Group A

Wednesday 22 October 2014

Young Vale XI blown away in Group Cup Game

PORT VALE:Harry Pickering, Kyle Clarke, Alex Morris, Billy Reeves (Dan Wakeham 76), Nathan Smith, Reiss Greenidge, Chekaine Steele, Ryan Lloyd, Jonny Kapend, Achille Campion, Omar Haughton (Dan Turner 60).

SUBS NOT USED:Mackenzie Faulkener, Lewis Bergin, Brad Ede, James Gibbons, Taylor Attrell.

WALSALL:CraigMacGillivray, Liam Kinsella, Rico Henry, Matt Preston, Dean Holden, Reece Flanagan (Kyle Rowley 85), Billy Clifford (Luke Delaney 85), Sam Mantom (Jake Heath 55), Amadou Bakayoko, Craig Fagan, Kieron Morris.

SUBS NOT USED:Dan Jezeph (GK.

minute ticked over a Flanagan snap shot flew wide of Vale’s goal without the home team ever threatening the visitors ‘keeper.^thBoth Vale and Walsall played young sides in the second game of the Northern Cup Group A fixture in blustery conditions on the training pitch but it was the visitors with the well travelled trialist Craig Fagan who looked sharpest with the first action of note being a good interception by Morris. Next was a 35 yarder from Flanagan that flew just over the bar and then Pickering was in action diving low to collect a cross at full stretch to deny Fagan at the far post and as the 20

   minute; a poor back pass put Pickering under pressure and his clearance only found Flanagan 30 yards out and he calmly chipped the ball back into an empty net.^ndWalsall continued to dominate and a weak effort by Clifford saw Pickering save comfortably. Campion’s first action of note saw him put in a saving tackle in his own penalty box following a free-kick and from this Vale broke quickly and looked to have an opportunity but Kapend was easily muscled off the ball and nothing came it. The Sadlers were soon looking dangerous again and Mantom whistled a long range effort past the post before they took the lead in the 32

Clifford then saw a long range effort pick out Pickering again before Vale almost created an opening as Kapend tried to thread a ball into the box for Campion but it was just too heavy a pass. With the wind at their backs Walsall continued with long range shooting and once more Pickering found his hands tingling as he collected another of these speculative efforts before the half-time whistle.

A few minutes into the second period and Vale won a free-kick 30 yards out on the left hand side of the field and Campion’s shot was pushed around the post for a corner; this was curled over the far post where Greenidge rose to head it well over the bar as he failed to get over the ball. Vale won another free-kick on the edge of the box on the other side of the pitch and this time Campion but the ball well over the bar. Although Vale were more in the game than in the first half Walsall were still creating chances and Bakayoko was next to test Pickering and he again warmed the ‘keeper’s hands in making a save. Just before the hour mark Vale had their best chance as a wind assisted kick from Pickering put in Campion on a 1 on 1 with the ‘keeper, but asMacGillivray came out to meet the onrushing attacker, Campion tried to curl in wide of him but only succeeded in sending it wide of the far post with the goal at his mercy.

Capion then broke down the left wing but was fouled by Holden but nothing arose from the foul and then Lloyd sent a 25 yard effort just over the bar as Vale tried Walsall’s tactics of long range shooting with the wind. Substitute Turner was back helping out Vale’s defence and won a tackle to avert a good shooting opportunity at the expense of a corner and from this Vale broke but after a surging run Reeves just ran out of steam at the far end of the pitch.

The visitors extended their lead with 14 minutes left as Flanagan again provided the touch of class by wrong footing 3 defenders on the edge of the penalty area before slotting the ball just inside the right-hand post. Vale responded but Turner’s shot was easily saved and Wakeham had a talking to by the referee after a strong tackle that looked quite fair but Walsall ran out worthy winners.  

Lindon Roberts – Port Vale Volunteers Group