Match ends, Walsall 0, Port Vale 1.
WalsallWalsall0Port ValePort Vale1
Chris Eagles hit a stunning late winner to beat Walsall and keep Port Vale's League One survival hopes alive.
The veteran winger, Vale's best player on the night, hit a superb right-foot angled drive from the edge of the area which arrowed into the top left corner.
Vale's victory lifts them to within a point of 20th-placed Gillingham.
It also means that neither 19th-placed Bury, a point better off, and 18th-placed Shrewsbury Town are safe going into Sunday's final round of fixtures.
Vale would have to win again at Fleetwood on Sunday to have a chance of staying up, unless Gillingham lose by six goals or more at Northampton - in which case a point would do.
But, if Vale do win, Bury and Shrewsbury (although that would need a 10-goal turnaround) might also need a point to be safe.
In a well contested first half, the visitors twice went close early on, from Sam Foley's overhead kick and a Remie Streete header, while Dan Turner fired their best chance over just before the break.
The Saddlers went closest to breaking the deadlock before in the first period when Kieron Morris's left-foot curler hit the bar, before James O'Connor's header was brilliantly tipped over by Vale keeper Leonardo Fasan.
Fasan kept Vale in it with another fingertip save to foil Amadou Bakayoko's attempted lob on the hour mark.
But Vale generally looked the more likely side to score the longer the game went on, especially when Eagles was on the ball, as he supplied a dangerous stream of right-wing crosses, one of which Sam Foley headed wide from six yards.
It was fitting that the 31-year-old former Manchester United youngster should score the winner to give caretaker boss Michael Brown's side at least a chance - and send Vale's 462 travelling fans into rapture after their timely first away win since October.
Line-ups
Walsall
Formation 3-4-3
- 13MacGillivray
- 16Preston
- 4O'Connor
- 24RobertsBooked at 32mins
- 5McCarthy
- 7Chambers
- 6Dobson
- 2Edwards
- 11Morris
- 20BakayokoSubstituted forCandlinat 83'minutes
- 25KouhyarSubstituted forHayles-Dochertyat 68'minutes
Substitutes
- 15Kinsella
- 22Sangha
- 33Makris
- 34Vann
- 35Hayles-Docherty
- 36Candlin
- 37Ganley
Port Vale
Formation 4-1-3-2
- 38FasanBooked at 90mins
- 6Taylor
- 4StreeteBooked at 90mins
- 24Smith
- 19Tanser
- 12Pugh
- 44EaglesSubstituted forBikey Amougouat 87'minutes
- 11Foley
- 14ThomasSubstituted forKellyat 70'minutes
- 31Reeves
- 18TurnerSubstituted forHooperat 64'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Mehmet
- 7Kelly
- 10Hooper
- 20Geraldo Rosa
- 28de Freitas
- 30Shalaj
- 39Bikey Amougou
- Referee:
- John Busby
- Attendance:
- 4,266
Match Stats
Home TeamWalsallAway TeamPort Vale
- Possession
- Home52%
- Away48%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away2
- Corners
- Home12
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away5
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Walsall 0, Port Vale 1.
Post update
George Dobson (Walsall) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Danny Pugh (Port Vale).
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Adam Chambers (Walsall) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by William Reeves (Port Vale).
Booking
André Bikey (Port Vale) is shown the yellow card.
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Foul by Mitchell Candlin (Walsall).
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André Bikey (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Hand ball by Kieron Morris (Walsall).
Substitution
Substitution, Port Vale. André Bikey replaces Chris Eagles.
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Foul by Matt Preston (Walsall).
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Sam Kelly (Port Vale) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Goal!
Goal! Walsall 0, Port Vale 1. Chris Eagles (Port Vale) right footed shot from outside the box to the top left corner.
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Attempt blocked. Danny Pugh (Port Vale) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Attempt missed. William Reeves (Port Vale) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
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Attempt missed. Kieron Morris (Walsall) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Substitution
Substitution, Walsall. Mitchell Candlin replaces Amadou Bakayoko.
Post update
Corner, Walsall. Conceded by Nathan Smith.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Jason McCarthy (Walsall) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
