Port Vale v Walsall preview – Moore’s men need to improve for their top of the table clash

Three things to watch out for

1. Does Stockley need support?

While he’s battled away, it’s now five games without a goal for striker Jayden Stockley. The forward looks a little short of confidence but could a tweak in the formation help him? Lorent Tolaj was disappointing in midweek but Ruari Paton looks to be chomping at the bit. Could Darren Moore play two upfront in Stockley and Paton and in doing so release some of the pressure on Stockley. It would mean a change from Moore’s favoured forward line-up of one in the centre supported by two withdrawn support players. However, would the classic big man / nippy striker combination be a more potent combination?

2. Can Vale bring their “A” game to the match

Manager Darren Moore was pretty blunt with his assessment of the performance in midweek. The manager told the media that “if you want to be successful in games like tonight, you have to go and get the initiative and go and take the game. You can’t sit back and wait.” How will he instill that in his team? Through more changes? Through a more settled eleven? Or simply by making the message loud and clear to whichever eleven he picks? It will be interesting to see if the Vale players react positively to his words and it’s crucial that they do.

3. Which players make up the back three?

Moore’s changes have been frequent this season but arguably Vale’s best run of form came with a settled back three. However, due to injuries there has been some chopping and changes in recent weeks with Debrah, Sang, Smith, Heneghan, Hall and Hart all featuring. Fitness allowing, is it now time for Moore to decide upon a settled back-line. If so, who makes it in there? Connor Hall, who covers the left, is stand-in skipper and a near ever-present looks a certainty. Who plays alongside him?

The Vale view

Pre-match quote

Darren Moore commented on the game saying: “We’ll give them the highest respect, as we did Cheltenham, but will look at ways we can unlock them to get the right result. We want Vale fans to come and sing their hearts out and get right behind the team. They have been absolutely magnificent all season and this is a game where they can turn up the decibels and really make this place a fortress.”

Form

It’s now four games unbeaten in a row for the Valiants but the last two of those have been (in many fans’ eyes) disappointing draws. So, despite on paper remaining in fine form with just one loss in their last thirteen games, much rides on this clash.

Fitness

Skipper Ben Garrity remains sidelined but with both Sam Hart and Kyle John returning after injury, Vale ranks have been boosted. George Byers is also close to a return and would be a significant boost to the central midfield ranks.

Team selection

Well, it’s always a difficult one with Darren Moore anyway but it’s particularly tricky to predict this one. Which of Nathan Smith, Ben Heneghan, Connor Hall, Tom Sang, Sam Hart and Jesse Debrah play at the back? Which players make up the central midfield partnership? Does Moore change it around and give Jayden Stockley a strike partner upfront?

Possible line-up

Formation: 3-4-3

Starting eleven: Ripley – Smith, Debrah, Hall – Cover, Croasdale, Sang, Shorrock  – Curtis, Stockley, Paton

Trivia: Jason Lowe needs one more game to make it 50 appearances for the Valiants

Viewing guide

This game is an early kick-off and is being shown live on Sky Sports+ in the UK. Coverage starts at 12:20pm. Viewers outside of the UK can see the game on the PVTV service.

Guide to the opposition

Club factfile

• Team: Walsall
• League: League Two
• Manager: Mat Sadler

Trivia: Walsall moved into their Bescot Stadium in 1990.

Man in charge

39 year-old former Walsall player Mat Sadler was appointed manager in 2023 after the departure of Michael Flynn. He’s been in charge for 82 games with a 43% win ratio.

Form

Excellent. It’s now just one defeat in the last eleven League and Cup games for the Saddlers. They sit one place and one point below the Vale.

Squad and injuries

Jamie Jellis is “touch and go” for the game. Brandon Comley, Josh Gordon and Priestley Farquharson are all definitely ruled out of the match. Walsall brought in two loanees from our neighbours Stoke City in the summer. Tommy Simkin will line-up in goal and Nathan Lowe upfront.

One to watch

Watch out for dangerman Nathan Lowe. The young Stoke loanee has four goals in his last six games and has been called a “fox in the box” striker.

History

Current connection

There’s just the one. Walsall have former Port Vale goalkeeper Sam Hornby in their squad although he’s unlikely to play. Hornby made fifteen appearances for the Valiants during a two year stay between 2017 and 2019. He joined Walsall in the summer and is yet to make an appearance.

Connections

There have been a number of players to appear for both clubs over recent years. The list includes full-back Ben Purkiss, forward Rory Holden, striker Devante Rodney, defender Clayton McDonald and full-back Zak Mills.

Featured connection

Yet another of John Rudge’s successful signings was that of former Walsall striker Nicky Cross in 1989. The forward was signed from Leicester City for £125,000 and added higher level experience to Vale’s squad as they stepped up to Division Two. His spell at the club was hit by injuries but he is remembered for a brilliant goal in Vale’s giantkilling of Derby County. He was also a member of the Autoglass Trophy winning squad and promotion in 1994. He totalled 42 goals in 172 games for the club.

Overall record

• Port Vale wins: 24
• Port Vale losses: 46
• Draws: 27

Trivia: Vale have failed to score in their last two fixtures against Walsall.

Last time we met

A 2023 Vale team managed by interim boss Andy Crosby were defeated 1-0 by Walsall in what was then a blow to their hopes of promotion. Perry scored the winning goal for the home side in the second-half. Fortunately for the Valiants they did still achieve promotion that season – through the play-offs.

Fixture history

The two sides first met in December 1892 when it ended in a 3-0 victory for Vale. All the scorers for that match are not known but John Lander scored two of them. Walsall won the return fixture by the same scoreline. Walsall has not been a happy fixture for the Vale in more recent years – with the club not recording a win over a twenty one year period from 1965 to 1986. More recently, it has been eight years since a Vale league win. The last Vale scorer against Walsall was Tom Conlon back in 2021.

Archive

This website has been around for nearly 30 years so has a pretty extensive archive.

We’ve written an article where we selected five of the most memorable Port Vale wins over Walsall since the two sides met each other. You can read it here

We’ve also gathered together some images which are produced below.

Brief history

The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town and Walsall Swifts. They entered the Football League four years later. After two decades out of the League they were invited into the newly formed Third Division North in 1921 and they spent the next 37 years in that division. The club have won eight promotions and were runners-up in the Football League Trophy in 2015.

Club records

• Highest attendance: 25,453 v Newcastle Utd, Second Division, 1961
• Biggest win: 10-0 v Darwen. Second Division, 1899
• Biggest defeat: 0-12 v Small Heath, 1892

Your views

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