ASKEY UNFAZED BY LOST LEADS
PROFLIGATE Port Vale dropped a lead for the 12th this time season to slip out of the play-off places, but boss John Askey insisted the careless habit does not bother him.
Vale have now dropped 27 points from leading positions this season, after twice being pegged back by Walsall as Elijah Adebayo and Josh Gordon cancelled out Leon Legge and Scott Burgess strikes.
“It’s been happening all season,” said Askey, “but we are still in a decent position so we don’t worry about it too much – the main thing is we are getting ahead.
“We’ve won a lot of games, so we have been ahead in games and won – more than we have drawn or lost – so it’s not a concern at all. The main thing is to be scoring goals.
“Everybody is confident no matter what happens, whether we concede first or whether somebody gets a goal back against us.”
Keeper Scott Brown was at fault for Walsall’s first leveller, spilling a tame Rory Holden shot to allow Adebayo to tap home, but made a stunning second-half reflex stop to foil the striker.
“Scott is disappointed with the first goal, it changes things and gives them a lift,” conceded Askey, whose side had won three on the bounce.
“But it’s the sign of a good keeper – one who makes a mistake and doesn’t let it bother them – and he’s got us the point in the end.
“We’ve been on a good run and we didn’t play as well today as we have been doing – we will know at the end of the season whether it was a good point or not.”
Vale led in the 12th minute as Tom Conlon collected a short corner and whipped in a cross for Leon Legge, stealing in at the far post, to head home from close range.
Walsall were not behind for long, equalising in the 15th minute, but Vale regained the lead after 36 minutes as Scott Burgess’ 20-yard strike took a wicked deflection off Saddlers defender Dan Scarr to beat wrong-footed Jack Rose.
Rose tipped a sweeterstruck Burgess effort wide early in the second half and Walsall levelled in the 58th minute, Gordon controlling Adebayo’s cross and firing under Brown.
Both sides had chances to win it, but Adebayo steered Gordon’s cross straight at Brown and Rose made a superb reflex save to foil Dave Worrall’s half-volley for Vale.
Walsall boss Darrell Clarke cut a frustrated figure.
“I’m not happy,” he fumed. “First half we were defensively very, very poor.
“Second half, we played some outstanding football but the lads won’t get too many pats on the back for a draw at home from me. We weren’t aggressive enough first half, we paid them too much respect. We switched off on a set-piece again and then they scored from a deflection where we can do better.”
“But then the response is emphatic and we were really unlucky not to win.”