Walsall 0-1 Port Vale

Chris Eagles has scored four goals in 19 league appearances for Port Vale

Chris Eagles hit a stunning late winner to beat Walsall and keep Port Vale's League One survival hopes alive.

The veteran winger, Vale's best player on the night, hit a superb right-foot angled drive from the edge of the area which arrowed into the top left corner.

Vale's victory lifts them to within a point of 20th-placed Gillingham.

It also means that neither 19th-placed Bury, a point better off, and 18th-placed Shrewsbury Town are safe going into Sunday's final round of fixtures.

Vale would have to win again at Fleetwood on Sunday to have a chance of staying up, unless Gillingham lose by six goals or more at Northampton - in which case a point would do.

But, if Vale do win, Bury and Shrewsbury (although that would need a 10-goal turnaround) might also need a point to be safe.

Port Vale players celebrate Chris Eagles' goal

In a well contested first half, the visitors twice went close early on, from Sam Foley's overhead kick and a Remie Streete header, while Dan Turner fired their best chance over just before the break.

The Saddlers went closest to breaking the deadlock before in the first period when Kieron Morris's left-foot curler hit the bar, before James O'Connor's header was brilliantly tipped over by Vale keeper Leonardo Fasan.

Fasan kept Vale in it with another fingertip save to foil Amadou Bakayoko's attempted lob on the hour mark.

But Vale generally looked the more likely side to score the longer the game went on, especially when Eagles was on the ball, as he supplied a dangerous stream of right-wing crosses, one of which Sam Foley headed wide from six yards.

It was fitting that the 31-year-old former Manchester United youngster should score the winner to give caretaker boss Michael Brown's side at least a chance - and send Vale's 462 travelling fans into rapture after their timely first away win since October.