Milan Lalkovic is busy down the left early on for Walsall. He doesn't mind a stepover or two, trying to create space for himself to cross.

A quality final ball into the box is all the hosts are missing right now.

Better from Neil Etheridge. Quick off his line to punch danger away, getting in front of fast closing in Vale duo of AJ Leitch-Smith and Louis Dodds.

Image source, Rex Features

Walsall settling into this match now, building up nicely from the back. 

Port Vale, however, doing well to calm down and strangle any chance before it can really get going.

Anthony Forde gets a sight at goal from distance, but the effort is harmless from the Saddlers.

Whoever you follow, we're keen to hear your thoughts on today's Football League action.

Get in touch with us using #bbcfootball on Twitter and we'll use some of your correspondence in this live text commentary.

Neil Etheridge really looking very unsure of himself in Walsall's goal. His clearance from a simple back pass is low and messy.

However, the Saddlers do well to make the best of it and break quickly. Milan Lalkovic gets to the byline at the other end, and audaciously goes for goal and hits the side netting. A real chance there for the hosts.

Walsall goalkeeper Neil Etheridge almost made to look like a Christmas turkey early on, spilling a routine header.

The ball is nestled into the back of the net, but Vale defender Richard Duffy is pulled up for being offside.

Sean O'Driscoll made a bit about just how much of an attractive football team he has taken over in Walsall, but it is worth noting that the Saddlers also know how to keep things tight as they have the the joint best defensive record in League One this season.

Early on, however, we are just seeing two sides feeling out their way in this game.

A reminder that you can listen to live commentary of Walsall v Port Vale on BBC WM 95.6 and BBC Radio Stoke.

Walsall get us under way.

Walsall's back-up goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray was injured in the warm up and has replaced by Liam Roberts on the bench.

Image source, BBC Sport

Walsall come into this one with some confidence. And it is not all about having new man Sean O'Driscoll at the helm.

They booked an FA Cup third-round meeting with their former manager Dean Smith, now in charge of Championship side Brentford, thanks to a penalty shootout win to get past Chesterfield in a replay. In the league, they are flying and only slipped to fourth yesterday with Coventry grabbing a point to overtake them.

Port Vale are winless in three games in all competitions. Victory today, however, could see them move as high as ninth in the league and to within a point of the play-off places.

Port Vale have been floating around the top half of League One for most of this season, without ever really establishing themselves as genuine promotion contenders.

A win against Walsall today will lift Vale to within one point of the top six.

Image source, Empics

"We're trying to hang on to the coat tails," assistant manager Paul Bodin told BBC Radio Stoke.

"We're coming up to the halfway point of the season and we're in a pretty good position. We're obviously striving to improve and it's a good test for us."

Walsall have a new man at the helm for today's League One game against Port Vale.

Sean O'Driscoll wasappointed as head coachon Friday, replacing Dean Smith, who left the Saddlers last month to join Brentford.

Image source, Rex Features

"I've watched them over the past two or three seasons and I've always enjoyed watching them play," O'Driscoll told BBC WM 95.6.

"I've seen them play some fantastic football. To see players be brave on the ball, try things and work together as a team - that was the attraction."

Port Vale manager Rob Page makes one change to his starting line-up. Winger Byron Moore replaces Chris Birchall, who drops to the bench.

The biggest bit of team news for the hosts is that striker Tom Bradshaw remains out, having suffered an ankle knock earlier in the month. Walsall playing it cautious, it seems.

Milan Lalkovic and George Evans come into the starting side, having both come off the bench in Walsall's FA Cup second-round replay win over Chesterfield earlier in the week.

Unfortunately, a rights issue means we're unable to stream Football League commentaries on the BBC Sport website.

However, all of Sunday's matches are being covered by BBC local radio.

And you can follow the action right here, of course.

We have a busy few hours ahead of us with the Football's League last remaining fixtures ahead of Christmas.

Best efforts will be made to avoid festive puns, but I'm not that much of a killjoy and will surely let fly at some stage. So be warned on that front.

First up today is an intriguing League One game, with a Walsall side under the new management of Sean O'Driscoll taking on the consistently inconsistent Port Vale.

From 14:00 GMT, attention turns to the Championship with Sheffield Wednesday hosting Wolves. To round off the day's activities, Preston travel to Leeds and Reading host Blackburn.

Let's dig in!

Image source, Rex Features