DESPITE a spirited display, The Saddlers' youth team have slipped out of the Midland Youth Cup at the semi-final stage, following a 3-5 defeat at the hands of Port Vale this evening.

Mick Halsall's young charges fought back from 3-1 down to take the game into extra-time but it was the visitors who came out on top as they bagged two goals during that period to seal their passage into the final.

Vale took the lead as early as the ninth minute through Will Brown. Josh Craddock levelled proceedings in the 21st minute before Ross Davidson restored the Valiants' lead on the stroke of half-time.

Simon Richmond made it 3-1 just before the hour-mark before Craddock pulled a goal back in the 77th minute.

With just a minute of normal time remaining, Craddock poked home his third goal of the game to take the match into extra-time.

After lifting the Cup last season, The Saddlers were hoping to make it through to the final but goals from Vale duo Sam Lovatt and James Lawrie ensured that it was Vale who came out victorious after 120 minutes of pulsating cup action at the Banks's Stadium.

SADDLERS: Joel Skeldon, Jake Woolaston, Hassan Bacchus, Dan Schwarz, Tom Schwarz, Richard Davies (c), Stewart Hendrie, Jamie Silver, Rory Curtis, Josh Craddock, Alan Wilkes. SUBS: Joseph Howes, Andrew Bentley, Mark Lowe, Daryl Westlake, Tom Cox (GK).

 Attendance - 133.