Port Vale beaten by Walsall to drop out of top three

Posted Sunday, April 24, 2022 by PA

Port Vale dropped out of League Two’s automatic promotion places with a 2-0 derby defeat at mid-table Walsall.

Emmanuel Osadebe sealed the Saddlers’ victory in stoppage time, having crossed for Sam Perry to head home Walsall’s opener.

Vale controlled the first half but Walsall keeper Carl Rushworth saved Connor Hall’s header and James Wilson’s 25-yard free-kick, while Jamie Proctor curled over from the edge of the box.

Walsall improved after the break and made the breakthrough on 67 minutes, Perry timing his run into the box perfectly to glance home a deft header from Osadebe’s teasing cross.

George Miller almost sealed the points seven minutes later as he rattled the crossbar from an acute angle.

Vale came close to rescuing a point but Rushworth produced a superb save with his leg from Chris Hussey’s free-kick and also kept out Ryan Edmondson’s follow-up.

Osadebe secured victory by waltzing into the Vale box and slotting past Aidan Stone in the third minute of stoppage time to leave the Valiants fourth, one point behind Northampton with two games to go.