Port Vale 2 Walsall 0

Last updated : 19 March 2005 By Footymad Previewer
With rumours of new money being put into the club, Port Vale put on an impressive show for their anonymous investor by sweeping aside Paul Merson's Walsall.

The Valiants made their intentions clear early on with a majority of possession going to the home side.

Michael Cummins tested the waters after 16 minutes when he headed narrowly over from a right sided George Abbey cross.

Walsall should have taken the lead a minute later but Mark Goodlad was in inspired form, parrying Daryl Taylor's close-range shot around the post.

Chances kept arriving and Craig James was the next to try with a 25-yard shot that Andy Oakes watched all the way resulting in a quality save.

Lee Matthews should have done better two minutes before the break when strike partner Billy Paynter played him clean through.

Oakes seized his chance and tackled him on the edge of the area after the former Bristol City man took one too many touches.

It didn't take much longer after half time for the deadlock to be broken.

James' right sided free-kick was headed into Oakes' bottom corner from six yards by Cummins after 51 minutes.

The lead was doubled six minutes later when Paynter's ball split the defence leaving Matthews time to roll the ball underneath Oakes.

Oakes prevented a third when Cummins went close again but it was proving not to be his side's afternoon.

Walsall did have chances to claw their way back but they were few and far between.

Darren Wrack struck the crossbar when he headed Mark Wright's looping cross towards goal but that was as close as they got.