An equal share of the points was probably a fair result as the Valiants continued their fortress mentality at Vale Park, drawing 1-1 with big spenders Salford City this afternoon.
It was Vale that started much the brighter, winning their first corner on twelve minutes after Kyle Letheren mishandled a relatively simple cross into the box. David Worrall trotted over to take it from the Vale right, drilling it across the City box but it was met powerfully by Liam Hogan who headed clear only for the ball to drop to Scott Burgess who chested the ball down, turned his defender, and curved an effort towards goal that dipped just after clearing the bar.
The visitors hit back though on nineteen minutes, with good work from Brandon Thomas-Asante down the left inside channel holding the ball up near the Vale box. The winger come striker laid the ball up and it was crossed first time towards the back post. Adam Rooney must have sensed his ninth league goal of the season was about to arrive, especially as Shaun Brisley got caught under the ball, but the former Potter terribly miscued his shot and it bounced harmlessly over the bar, much to the enjoyment of the Vale faithful.
There was further danger on the half hour, this time Brisley reading the situation perfectly as Thomas-Asante fired in a low cross towards the front post with Rooney loitering, but he not only got in front of the striker but also managed to deflect the ball the right side of the post and only concede the corner.
Just before half-time Vale created their best chance of the half, quick thinking from Worrall in the centre of the midfield, firing a long ball out Amoo on the right wing. Amoo took on the left back, cutting back before crossing to the back post to Worrall, having made the initial pass, who headed back across goal to Richie Bennett who connected but couldn’t beat the keeper from the edge of the six-yard box.
The second half started much the same as the first, but this time Vale took their chance when it presented itself on fifty-five minutes. Mitch Clark made a strong run down the left hand channel, feeding the ball into Tom Conlon who did remarkably well to hold off the defender and play a one-two with the advancing Clark. The left-back continued his run into the box, brushing past a defender before firing a stinging effort towards Bennett at the back post only for Cameron Burgess to put into his own net and give Vale the lead.
The goal stung the visitors into action and a series of City corners followed on the hour, the best chance falling to Hogan missing when given the run of the area but could only place his header over the bar from six yards out.
Vale though, failed to head the warning as Salford won a throw down the right flank on seventy-five minutes. For a moment Vale had switched off and this proved costly as the ball was whipped to the back post and Tom Elliott, a recent arrival from Millwall in the transfer window, used all of his 6’3” frame to climb above Scott Brown in the Vale goal and plant a firm header in the back of the Vale net despite the protestations of anyone in a white shirt.
With the clock ticking down, both teams had chances to win it, Rooney with the best on eighty-six, but the striker having done all the hard work to avoid the offside flag could only fire across the Vale goal when well-placed and Vale might count themselves a little lucky to take something out of a game that on another day, might just have slipped away.
Port Vale: Brown, Gibbons, Legge, Brisley, Clarke, Burgess, Joyce, Conlon, Amoo, Bennett (Pope, 71), Worrall
Unused Subs: Atkinson, Cullen, Evans, Lloyd, Campbell-Gordon, Maddison.
Salford City: Letheren, Wiseman, Burgess, Hogan, Touray, Andrade, O’Connor (Towell, 65), Baldwin, Hunter (Conway, 92), Thomas-Asante (Elliott, 67), Rooney
Unused Subs: Neal, Threlkeld, Armstrong.
Cautions: Salford City – Hogan, Hunter, Rooney
Attendance: 5,281
