VALE’S BOOST IN TITLE BATTLE

By Jamie Adams

WALSALL 2

Allen 7 pen, Amantchi 11

PORT VALE 3

Tolaj 4, 45+2 pen, Garrity 41

COOL CUSTOMER: Lorent Tolaj is mobbed by team-mates after scoring Port Vale’s third goal from the penalty spot

PICTURES: Richard Parkes

PORT Vale boss Darren Moore said he always believed his Valiants would climb back into the automatic promption places after knocking Walsall off their long-held perch.

Walsall supplanted Vale in December after winning in Burslem and stayed there for four months – until Moore’s men gained revenge at Bescot.

Vale dropped as low as sixth after five wins in 19 games between November and mid-March.

But they reclaimed top spot – albeit only for a couple of hours until Bradford beat Crewe – with a fifth win in six games.

“People ask if there’s been a specific moment and I just put it down to consistency,” said Moore.

“We’ve just kept chipping away, kept that belief. No finger-pointing, anything like that, just having that trust in the players. A win like this increases confidence, togetherness, determination, resilience, character, all those things, but we have to continue doing what we’re doing.

“To be in this position at this stage is what we have worked for. The hurdles the team has to overcome – emotionally, mentally and physically – change from week to week.

“We spoke at half-time about not playing to the occasion, playing the game, that we needed to show a bit more composure which we did in the second half to take the sting out of the game.”

Walsall had a goal disallowed inside 12 seconds, Jamille Matt’s header from Liam Gordon’s cross ruled out for push.

Vale led after four minutes as Lorent Tolaj’s overhead kick crashed off a post and in off keeper Sam Hornby.

Walsall levelled three minutes later as Taylor Allen tucked home a penalty after Jayden Stockley’s handball.

And they were ahead after 11 minutes as Levi Amantchi held off a defender to slot home Oisin McEntee’s cross.

Amantchi was denied a second when clean through by Ben Amos’ fingertips and Vale levelled after 41 minutes as Ben Garrity smashed home from a long throw.

Vale went 3-2up in first-half stoppage-time, Taloj netting from the spot after being brought down by McEntee.

They kept the hosts quiet after the break and could have added a fourth late on, Garrity’s classy volley well tipped over by Hornby.

Walsall were 12 points clear at the top in January but now face a battle to cling on to an automatic promotion spot and manager Mat Sadler admitted: “It looked like the energy had sapped out of the lads in the second half.

“We have to learn from this, we have to face it head on and be ready for the next bit.

“The most important thing for us is that we don’t go looking at it [the table] – there’s no point looking broadly, you have to look right in front of your face at what’s coming next.

“We have to make sure we repeat and remind who we are and what we do and how we affect teams and that’s the message.

“I want the players to be disappointed but we go back to work again. Everyone will be doubting us and if that’s the case, no problem at all. We’ll let everyone else doubt us and it’s up to us to prove those doubters wrong.”

SPOT ON: Lorent Tolaj scores Port Vale’s third and his second

WALSALL: Hornby 6, McEntee 7, Okagbue 7, Weir 6 (Hall 45, 6), Asiimwe 6 (Barrett 45, 6), Jellis 6 (Adomah 74, 6), Stirk 6, Allen 7, Gordon 6, Matt 7 (Wheatley 74, 6), Amantchi 7 (Johnson 85). Subs not used: Simkin, Daniels.

PORT VALE: Amos 6, Debrah 7, Smith 7, Hall 8, Walters 6 (Byers 86), Clark 7, Croasdale 7, Garrity 7, John 6 (Hart 36, 7), Tolaj 9 (Hackford 86), Stockley 8 (Curtis 72, 7). Subs not used: Broome, Shorrock, Richards.