Vale reserves denied win by late leveller

SHELTON Martis's stoppage-time goal denied Port Vale's second-string their first league victory of the season as they stumbled to a 2-2 draw against West Bromwich Albion.

Adam Yates's fluky 26th-minute goal handed Vale the lead at Vale Park last night, when his looping right-wing cross evaded Baggies keeper Dean Kiely and flew into the far corner.

Striker Simon Cox levelled for the visitors after the break with a sweet strike, before Leon Barnett's late own goal restored Vale's advantage.

But two minutes into added time, Martis popped up to steal a point for the visitors.

Reflecting on his goal, Yates said: "The winger I was playing against got dragged inside, so I've seen an opportunity to go around him.

"I did that and tried to cross the ball to the back-post area because the keeper was towards the front post and it's gone into the top corner. I didn't mean it, but I'll take it."

Vale have now failed to record a win in their first five reserve-team fixtures, following defeats against Sheffield United and Macclesfield Town and draws with Shrewsbury Town and Derby County.

They named a strong shadow team last night, which included first-team contenders including defender Luke Prosser and attackers Rob Taylor and James Lawrie.

Taylor, playing left midfield, warmed Kiely's hands in the opening minute with a well-struck 20-yard drive.

But the visitors should have broken the deadlock in the eighth minute, when Chris Wood latched on to a through ball. After out-stripping centre-half Ross Davidson, the New-Zealand-born forward clipped the outside of the post with a 16-yard drive.

In the 11th minute, Lawrie saw his edge-of-the box effort deflected wide.

Vale loan striker Jamie Guy gave full-back Dwayne Samuels the slip on 20 minutes, before the visitor's defence managed to block his shot from the left channel.

West Brom were barely threatening Joe Anyon's goal and failed to do so again in the 25th minute, when Cox blasted over from distance.

After Yates's goal the hosts almost doubled their lead, in the 33rd minute, when Danny Glover produced neat work in the centre to release a rampaging Taylor down the left.

The midfielder raced inside Paul Downing, before lashing a low 20-yard drive the wrong side of the left-hand post.

As half-time drew near Cox's cushioned header laid the ball on a plate for Josh Knight, who dragged wide of the left-hand post from 14 yards.

The Baggies levelled matters in the 52nd minute.

Cox expertly controlled Wood's right-wing cross, before volleying the ball into the right-hand corner from 16 yards.

Just after the hour-mark Glover's weak eight-yard header went wide, before Rueben Reid's deflected 18-yard shot also missed the target.

Fit-again keeper Anyon collected Cox's powerful shot soon after, before an injured Glover made way for youth-team prospect Anthony Malbon on 74 minutes.

Cox wasted a golden chance to hand his side the lead a minute later, when he guided the ball wide from 16 yards.

While Vale had the better of the first half, West Brom gained the upper hand in the second period.

But it was Vale who looked odds on to claim the victory when Barnett's unsure header, connecting with a long ball, bypassed Kiely and rolled into the net on 81 minutes.

There was still time for Albion to salvage a point though as Cox's header, meeting a set-piece, put the ball up for Martis to nod home from a few yards out.