Walsall 4-3 Port Vale: An awful defensive performance at the Banks’s stadium saw Port Vale concede four second-half goals as they lost to Walsall.
The home side had the first chance of the game when Adebayo hit the bar and they were to rattle the woodwork a second time through Zak Mills’ sliced clearance.
The Valiants were riding their luck somewhat and Luke Joyce was fortunate as a scything challenge was only deemed worthy of a yellow card. It looked like fortune was on John Askey’s side as a good header from Devante Rodney fed Tom Pope and he beat his man to curl his shot past the keeper and give Vale the lead on 36 minutes. It got even better for Vale just before the break when Tom Conlon’s free-kick put the Vale 2-0 up at the break.
However, it quickly fell apart for Vale after the break. Walsall rang the changes and one of the subs, the lively Scrimshaw slid in to beat Brown and make it 2-1 on 51 minutes. There was a brilliant double save from Scott Brown to deny McDonald and Holden but the home side were not to be denied. On 56 minutes, a corner found centre-half Scarr who netted to level the scores.
The Valiants were struggling to come with the pacy Walsall forward moves but the home side were still vulnerable at the back and good work from sub David Amoo set up Devante Rodney to poke home from close range and make it 3-2 to the Valiants on 75 minutes.
However, another goal burst from the home side gave them all three points. On 79 minutes, Scrimshaw got past Nathan Smith and beat Scot Brown at the near post. On 81 minutes, awful Vale marking from a corner allowed an unmarked Scarr to head home the winner.
Vale still had chances with Tom Conlon going close and Zak Mills missing when clear through in the closing minutes, but this was an awful loss with Vale’s defending all over the place. Some major changes are needed at the back as this is now seven goals conceded in two away games.
Walsall 4-3 Port Vale stats:
Port Vale goals: Tom Pope (37), Tom Conlon (44), Devante Rodney (75)
Walsall goals: Jake Scrimshaw (52,80), Dan Scarr (56,82)
Port Vale bookings: Zak Mills (30), Luke Joyce (16), Devante Rodney (45)
Port Vale line-up:
Brown – Mills, Legge, Smith (Crookes), Fitzpatrick – Joyce (Robinson), Burgess, Conlon – Hurst, Pope (Amoo), Rodney
Subs: Visser, Whitehead, Oyeleke, Brisley
We have been now since our last season in division one. We stopped because of owner and as we are now of what you would call the older generation my wife was finding the winters too cold. However Nathan Smith was in his second season and our defense was as leaky as colander as it was in his first season. Since then there has been two seasons where we have just managed to retain our football league status and last year where we missed the play offs.This season started brightly but again we have faded and like today against Walsall goals against us are being conceded at an alarming rate. Please check the common denominator is Nathan Smith without 2 decent centre halves we will carry on conceding and losing from winning positions. Am I the only one who can see Smith needs to be replaced and quickly.
Smith is no good and needs replacing. Should have done this when he dithered about re signing. A bit like his defending.
Sack him now before it’s too late