Walsall 2 Port Vale 3: Saddlers knocked off top spot after first half thriller

Lorent Tolaj crashed an overhead kick in off the post in the fourth-minute after Jamille Matt had seen his header inside the first 15 seconds ruled out for a foul. 

Walsall produced a quick turnaround with Taylor Allen levelling from the spot to score for the third game on the spin before Levi Amantchi fired them into the lead after 11 minutes.

Ben Garrity levelled just four minutes before the interval and Tolaj completed a quick turnaround from the spot after going down under a challenge from Oisin McEntee.

In a frantic start, Jamille Matt found the far corner with a powerful header from Liam Gordon's cross inside the first 15 seconds but saw his effort ruled out for a push.

Port Vale hit the front at the other end in the fourth-minute when Tolaj's overhead kick struck the post and deflected into the net off Sam Hornby.

Walsall were behind for little under three minutes when referee Lewis Smith pointed to the spot for a handball inside the box.

Allen stepped up to the spot and confidently stroked the ball low into the bottom corner to move into double figures for the campaign.

A pulsating contest took another major swing when Amantchi completed a quick turnaround with his third goal of the season in the 11th-minute. 

Oisin McEntee hooked a long throw towards the back post where Amantchi muscled off his marker, controlled the ball nicely and tucked his finish past Ben Amos. 

He found himself with another chance almost immediately when he went one-on-one with Amos but the Vale goalkeeper emerged quickly to foil him.

Walsall looked up for the occasion and Allen was clearly eager to add to his tally. Allen latched on to an excellent sweeping pass from Ryan Stirk but fired his effort straight at Amos from the edge of the box.

Port Vale got back on level terms four minutes before the break when Ben Garrity controlled a corner from the right and smashed a powerful effort beyond the reach of Hornby.

The visitors would score again before the interval when Tolaj scored from the spot after McEntee had been adjudged to have tripped the Swiss striker inside the box.

Sadler brought on double reinforcements at the break with Connor Barrett and George Hall replacing Nathan Asiimwe and Evan Weir, as Taylor Allen dropped back into defence. 

Vale had a couple of early chances in the second half with Tolaj bending a free-kick over the crossbar and Mitch Clark blazing over from distance.

Walsall were unable to play the same intensity as the first half-hour and struggled to enjoy any sustained periods in possession. 

The Valiants controlled proceedings for much of the second half and Sadler brought on Ethan Wheatley and Albert Adomah on for the final 20 minutes in an attempt to turn the tide.

Garrity stung the palms of Hornby with a thumping volley from the edge of the box but the Walsall goalkeeper smartly palmed the ball over the top.

Danny Johnson was also thrown into the action for the final five minutes but was unable to prevent Walsall from falling to defeat.

Teams

Walsall (3-1-4-2): Hornby; McEntee, Okagbue, Weir (Hall 46); Stirk; Asiimwe (Barrett 46), Jellis (Adomah 74), Allen, L Gordon; Amantchi (Johnson 85), Matt (Wheatley 74).

Unused: Simkin, Daniels.

Port Vale : Amos; Debrah, Smith, Hall; Walters (Byers 86); John (Hart 36), Croasdale, Garrity, Clark; Tola (Hackford 86), Stockley (Curtis 72).

Unused: Broome, Richards, Shorrock.

Attendance: 8,446

Referee: Lewis Smith