Match ends, Port Vale 1, Walsall 1.
Port ValePort Vale1WalsallWalsall1
Walsall hit back to earn a draw through a Tom Bradshaw goal in an entertaining season-opener against Port Vale.
Vale deservedly led at the break through's Tom Pope close-range strike from Mark Marshall's low cross.
Pope then shot narrowly wide for the hosts, as did Michael O'Connor.
But the Saddlers responded and, after Ashley Grimes forced a fine save from Sam Johnson, Bradshaw levelled when he ran on to a Grimes pass and lifted the ball past the advancing goalkeeper.
Walsall manager Dean Smith speaks to BBC WM:
"We played really well on the front foot, played some neat and tidy stuff. I'm pleased at the comeback and like to take a lot of confidence from this.
"We've got some really good players in the squad at the moment, I was really pleased.
"We're disappointed with their goal as it came from a deflected cross. We dealt with the aerial balls well and we'll take a lot of confidence from this game.
"We knew what to expect from Port Vale, we knew they put a lot of balls in the box which we couldn't stop the first one, we had to defend it. I'd say I thought we done that quite well."
Line-ups
Port Vale
Formation 4-4-2
- 12Johnson
- 21VeseliSubstituted forRobertsonat 86'minutes
- 6Duffy
- 5McGivernBooked at 64mins
- 3Dickinson
- 20Marshall
- 15O'Connor
- 10LinesSubstituted forBrownat 86'minutes
- 8DoddsSubstituted forJenningsat 74'minutes
- 9Williamson
- 11Pope
Substitutes
- 1Neal
- 2Yates
- 4Robertson
- 7Birchall
- 17Brown
- 18Jennings
- 22Lloyd
Walsall
Formation 4-4-2
- 1O'Donnell
- 4O'Connor
- 15Chambers
- 6Downing
- 3Taylor
- 14Benning
- 10Sawyers
- 7ChambersBooked at 67mins
- 11BaxendaleSubstituted forCliffordat 70'minutes
- 24Grimes
- 9BradshawSubstituted forBakayokoat 85'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Holden
- 13MacGillivray
- 17Flanagan
- 18Morris
- 20Bakayoko
- 22Kinsella
- 26Clifford
- Referee:
- Darren Bond
- Attendance:
- 7,050
Match Stats
Home TeamPort ValeAway TeamWalsall
- Possession
- Home45%
- Away55%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away4
- Corners
- Home3
- Away9
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away8
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Port Vale 1, Walsall 1.
Post update
Attempt missed. James Chambers (Walsall) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.
Post update
Corner, Walsall. Conceded by Richard Duffy.
Post update
Corner, Walsall. Conceded by Richard Duffy.
Post update
Attempt missed. Tom Pope (Port Vale) right footed shot from the right side of the box is just a bit too high.
Post update
Foul by Amadou Bakayoko (Walsall).
Post update
Richard Duffy (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Port Vale. Michael Brown replaces Chris Lines.
Substitution
Substitution, Port Vale. Chris Robertson replaces Frederic Veseli.
Post update
Attempt missed. Andy Taylor (Walsall) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Substitution
Substitution, Walsall. Amadou Bakayoko replaces Tom Bradshaw.
Post update
Corner, Walsall. Conceded by Richard Duffy.
Post update
Corner, Walsall. Conceded by Ryan McGivern.
Post update
Adam Chambers (Walsall) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Tom Pope (Port Vale).
Post update
Attempt missed. Malvind Benning (Walsall) left footed shot from the left side of the box is just a bit too high.
Post update
Paul Downing (Walsall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Tom Pope (Port Vale).
Post update
Corner, Walsall. Conceded by Sam Johnson.
