The 1900 traveling Valiants will be scratching their heads on the way home from Macclesfield tonight as Vale continued their Jekyll and Hyde away form with a 2-1 defeat to the Silkmen. Billed by many as the springboard to a run to the playoffs, Vale lacked ideas and passion, and by 17:00 this evening most fans will have been glad to be setting sail for home.
The result though belied Vales start and as early as the second minute, good work from the Vale midfield three set Worrall lose with the ball in the attacking third, going down under pressure in the area, but no penalty was forthcoming, only Worrall remonstrating with Referee Handley.
On seven minutes, Macclesfield hit back, Kirby firing a free kick into the box for the Silkmen, but the delivery was poor, failing to beat the first man and Vale cleared. Two minutes later, Macclesfield won their first corner after good work from Archibald. Kirby took it, met with a good clearing header from Legge, but it came back in and Smith was forced to concede a second corner. This time it was fired into the back post, Smith and Joyce in the mix for the Valiants and Smith was forced to concede a third corner in as many minutes. Kirby again crossed it in, Bennett half clearing and Worrall completing the job.
On twelves minutes, Vale created there first real attack on the Macclesfield goal, Bennett winning a free kick on the right wing after good hold up work. Worrall stood over it 25 yards out, swinging a great curving kick towards the 6-yard box, Bennett was unchallenged and planted his header to the right of Keeper Evans and into the bottom left hand corner of the net. After such a slow start that was great goal for Vale
As the game settle back down, it all became very condensed in the midfield but it was Macclesfield’s Archibald that featured on twenty-one minutes, forcing a fine save from Brown, having run down the right wing, cutting inside Crookes and firing for the near post, Brown doing well and pushing it round the post for a Corner which Vale defend well.
On twenty-three, Macclesfield secured their latest corner, Kelleher getting free around the penalty spot, but his header was tame, and Brown took the ball into his chest, right in the centre of goal. Minutes later, Macclesfield continued to apply pressure on the Vale defence, but Brown and the defence stand firm as Brown collects a cross above his defence to ease Vale fears.
Vale did show flashes and on twenty-nine, Taylor won a free kick in a similar position to Bennett in the first ten minutes. Worrall, again over it, but this time Kelleher is aware to the danger and heads clear as Macclesfield counter.
By now the game had settled into a pattern of Macclesfield seeming to be have much of the play, but Vale did look dangerous on the counter. On thirty-six minutes, Macclesfield won a free kick in the middle of the Vale half, a full 35 yards plus away from the Vale goal but doesn’t stop Archibald taking a remarkable shot from distance and Brown did well to push it away, Bennett conceding the corner to prevent the equaliser. The corner came in but was wasted by the hosts as it drifted beyond the by-line.
On thirty-eight, Taylor won a free kick for the Valiants in the right-hand channel, 15 yards from the by-line with Worrall taking aim for Smith in the middle, but Evans rises above the Vale centre back to take cleanly above the defender.
Just when Vale fans were thinking of their half time cup of Bovril, poor defending from Vale allowed Gnahoua the freedom of the Vale box and didn’t he just punish the Vale, firing past Brown in the bottom right corner.
As they tried to hang on, Vale were caught napping again on forty-four, the defence dropping back to the penalty area and leaving Gnahoua space again to shoot from distant, but on this occasion he missed to right of the post.
As the half moved into stoppage time, a good press from Vale in front of the Macclesfield penalty area freed the ball to Taylor who took a snapshot from 25 yards out, but keeper Evans got down well, fumbling but recovering the ball as Worrall closed in.
Half Time Macclesfield 1 – 1 Port Vale
So, it was the Valiants to get us back under way, Worrall to launch the ball forward, with no changes for either sides at half time.
Again, Vale started brightly, this time Pope and Bennett connecting well, Bennett getting to the by-line, but no one is there to meet his cross and Macclesfield clear.
On fifty-two, Macclesfield won a free kick forty yards out from the right-hand side, semi cleared but crossed back in and Welch-Hayes really should have given the Silkmen the lead, a free header in front of goal, but scuffed it horribly.
It was clear to see though that the Silkmen were back on the front foot though on sixty as Archibald picked up the first caution of the game for a late challenge on Crookes that left the left back dazed on the floor after a clash of heads.
And so, it proved to be on sixty-four minutes as Macclesfield took the lead. Good work down the right-hand side is rewarded as the ball is fired across goal, no defender can get intercept and its an easy tap in for Osadebe in the centre of the goal, Brown standing no chance.
On sixty-six, Amoo, fresh to the field, made a decent run down the right, beating his defender, but the cross is claimed cleanly by Evans above Pope and Bennett. On seventy Vale continued to press forward, winning a corner down the right, Worrall picking out Legge ten yards out but he just can’t direct his header and it flies wide of the right upright.
On seventy-five Vale had a half shout for a penalty as Amoo goes around the left back, but it’s a clean tackle and Vale have to settle for a Corner. The resulting corner produced a much better shout for a penalty, Smith is clear in the box, but takes a nudge as he tries to head the ball goalward, but the referee isn’t interested and somehow Macclesfield escape a third penalty shout.
Vale were clearly throwing everything forward at this point and won a further corner from the right which came across but there’s no real challenge for it and Macclesfield clear their lines. On eighty-six, nice interplay freed up Taylor in the middle of the park, he advanced on goal, but his shot is tame and trickles through to Evans in the Macclesfield goal.
The final piece of action really did sum up Vales performance, on ninety-two minutes securing a centrally placed free kick, as Worrall rolled the ball to his left, a set-piece routine from the training ground, Bennett struck it cleanly enough but it was always rising and ended high into the stand containing the Valiants.
Full Time Macclesfield 2 – 1 Port Vale
