Vale Sink Visiting Pilgrims

After thirty-three minutes, many Vale fans would have been forgiven for looking nervously at the centre of Vale’s Midfield and wondering where the inspiration was going to come from, three substitutions in the first half an hour will do that to a fan, but they needn’t have worried as Worrall took the game by the scruff of the neck to lead the Valiant’s to their third home league win on the bounce, setting up Smith for his second goal of the season.

In what was an entertaining first couple of minutes it was good work down the inside right channel from Joyce and Amoo, which created the first chance of the game. Conlon surprisingly jogged over to take the corner, which he played short to Worrall, who fed it across the edge of the box to a surging Joyce, but the midfielder missed his shot and the Pilgrim’s cleared. That’s not to say that Vale had it all their own way as on four minutes, Vale were opened up by Moore, but his shot was charged down, Vale seemingly lucky to escape that chance unscathed.

On five minutes, a horrifically timed challenge from Gibbons on Mayor gave the young Vale right back his weekly caution and the resulting free kick was fired across but is met with a towering header from Bennett who cleared a full thirty yards. On Seven, a fine save by Brown on his near post denied Moore again as he angled in from the inside left channel.

The visitors continued to press and on eleven minutes, Crookes conceded a dubious free kick on the edge of his own box. Baxter put it over, but the referee had spotted a tug on the defender at the back post and awarded Vale a free kick. Vale were looking to hang on and on thirteen there was a half shout for a penalty for the visitors, Gibbons heart must have been in his mouth, but the Referee waved the Plymouth plea’s away.

Vale tried to get a foothold on seventeen, a deep free kick from Conlon into the box found Smith looking favourite to win the header but Palmer did well to punch clear. Vale were not done though and as the ball was fed back in, Crookes fired the ball across goal from the by-line but it was cleared for a Vale Corner.

The award of the corner did nothing to diminish a big blow for Vale as Amoo was forced from the field to be replaced Taylor before the corner took place. Worrall took the corner, Plymouth defender Canavan clearing from under his own bar. Vale injury curse was only just getting started though as Vale suffered another blow as Conlon is also forced from the field, Callum Evans replacing him.

On twenty-six, Evans sprayed a ball out wide to an advancing Worrall who tried to cross to Bennett, but it’s charged down for a corner. Worrall supplies the corner, Legge is beaten in the air but the ball finds its way back to Worrall who crosses again, and Palmer does well to collect above Smith and Legge on the six-yard line. On twenty-eight, good pressing again in the Midfield allows Worrall to fire a snap cross over, Bennett gets there first, but his header isn’t controlled and high into the Hamil End.

On thirty, Gibbons does well to only concede a corner after Edwards gets the better of Crookes and crosses to the back post but Vale deal professionally with the corner. On thirty-two a dangerous free kick for the visitors, Baxter to take, this time Smith did well to rise and head clear, the ball pinballing round before Mayor eyes the shot from 25 yards out but its high into the Bycars.

On thirty-three Taylor does well, working with Bennett to feed Worrall through but one to many touches as the angle completely disappears and Palmer gathers the cross shot with ease.

The injuries continued to mount up though and on thirty-three Vale’s injury misery continued as Evans was struggling with a hamstring injury and Brown entered the fray, the Vale midfielder only lasting eleven minutes. On 36 minutes, Bennett might have done better after a long ball over the top beat the defender, but the ball took an age to come down and his lob beat the Bar as well as Palmer in the Pilgrim’s goal. The visitors though were refusing to lie down and on thirty-nine, Moore curled an effort over the bar for the visitors after Vale were exposed down the Plymouth left.

On forty-one minutes, Vale won a corner after a well worked free kick allowed Worrall to the Plymouth by-line Worrall floated the corner in, Smith getting a flick onto the ball, but Bennett is forced to chase and cross back in, Palmer again claiming with ease. A few minutes later, nice play from the Vale, with good interchange from the Midfield provided Worrall with a few yards of space twenty-five yds out, he moved forward firing an effort to Palmers right and he’s down to gather at the second attempt.

The second half started much the same as the first finished, both sides pushing hard for the initial break through, but the first real action of the half found Canavan picking up a caution for a silly hand ball in the centre circle, missing his header and handling after a tussle with Bennett on the half way line.

Vale continued to push forward forcing their first Corner of the second half after good work from Montano, Worrall floating it in, Smith winning the header and its cleared by McFadzean under his own bar.

On fifty minutes, Brown wins a second corner for the Valiant’s, Worrall delivering from the Vale right, but the Plymouth defence again stood firm. Plymouth again replied in kind, a good run down the Vale left by Mayor had the Vale defenders scrambling but a combination of Smith and Legge finally closed the dangerous situation down. On fifty-four, Moore really should have done better, set free in the Vale Box, his snapshot going wide of the left upright.

On fifty-six, a great counterattack from Vale as Montano was set free in acres of space by Taylor, he beats a couple of defenders before striking from distance and Palmer did well to turn it way for a corner. The resulting corner came over from Worrall, the ball ricocheting around before Legge had a fine chance to head home, rising above his defender but he can’t control his header and it remained 0-0.

On the hour mark, Montano did really well under pressure in the Plymouth Box, twisting and turning, beating his man before firing a ball across the six-yard box, but Bennett just can’t get there and a good chance goes begging.

As the game entered the final quarter, it was complete end to end stuff, the visitors creating at least two chances they might have taken, and would Vale make them pay for the misses? Plymouth continued to press for the opener winning a Corner on sixty-nine, Grant meeting the ball firmly but Gibbons was there to clear off the line. A Second corner comes across and Vale repelled the latest effort.

With fifteen left on the clock Vale tried to sustain pressure on the Plymouth goal but the Pilgrims looked more than capable of counter attacking and pinching that winner.

But it was Vale than finally seized the initiative taking the lead after great work down the right by Brown and Worrall, a chipped cross to the back post and Smith couldn’t miss, diving and planting his header in the roof of the net. On seventy-nine it should be two, Brown setting Bennett away in the Plymouth box, he’s forced across goal, but the defenders couldn’t stop the square pass to Montano who is in acres of space but can only blaze his effort over the bar.

As the minutes ticked on, the visitors became more desperate but it was strangely comforting to every Vale fan in the stadium to see how professionally Smith, Legge and friends saw out the game and it was credit to the Central defensive pairing that one scored the winner and the second picked up the man of the match award.

Mike Stubbs
Mike Stubbs
Sports Reporter - Port Vale

Latest Local Sports News

Must Read News