As local derby’s go this one is the one that Port Vale fans look forward to most. Its often heated and this is why John Askey has come out and asked for calm and to have fun but do not cause issues and bring the name of Port Vale down.
John started with a faster forward with Richie Bennett, meaning Pope had to be happy with starting the match from the bench.
The Port Vale fans are in full voice with over 2000 making the sort trip up the A500.
With three minutes gone, Crewe are pressing down the left wing, great through ball , but Montano is able to deliver a quality tackle to kill the attack.
Amoo dances over a tackle on the right side to drift a cross to the far post, unfortunately no-one is there, but it bounces kindly for Worrall who crosses.
The ball is cleared off the line after Bennets well timed header. The man on the line to stop it become Vale 1 Crewe 0 is Paul Green. Some half hearted shouts from the Vale as some think it still went over the line.
Gibbons with a lobbing pass from the back, nearly plays Bennet on and had it been a few meters longer, that would have been a real chance.
With 12 minutes gone, Crewe are the stronger team, but that’s not to say that Vale are not in the game.
Crewe press forward and a cross from the left side from Charlie Kirk, everyone leave it thinking that its going out and it hits the post. Lucky escape for Vale, could that have been one of the strangest goals of the season had it gone in.
On the twentieth minute a free kick on the right side, Vale contest the decision, but it stands. Delivered with power right in the centre of the goal, but the Vale defence clear it easily.
Referee has a word with Smith and Crewe’s Chris Porter as there seems to be some argie bardgie in the box. Both players appear to shake hands and the cards are kept in the referees pocket.
29 Worrall with a high cross into the box the keeper comes out into a medley of players and decides to punch it clear,. Vale gain a throw on the left had side
Referee appears to be having a bad 10 minutes with three out of four decisions appearing to be wrong, however they are balanced out. This I think for most fans is acceptable, if the referee is going to make bad calls at least let them be balanced.
35, Vale corner is cleared, to the edge of the box Christian Montano with a powerful shot, but adds to much lift to the ball and it ends up in the stands. Monty walks away with a limp following the strike.
38, Crewe break though and have the numbers, through ball to the centre of the box, but a last ditch tackle by Legge save the day for Vale.
44, Montano with a mistake at the back, passing across the box putting legge under pressure who loses the ball. Montano then mistimes a tackle of the edge of the box to give away a dangerous free kick. Harry Pickering doesn’t lift it over the box though and it cleared.
Vale get the second half underway.
Shot by Paul Green, Scott Brown appears to have it, but unlike him he spills it and fortunate for Vale there is no Crewe player running in.
In the sixth minute of the second half Crewe sprint down the left wing. Gibbons and luke Joyce both mark the player with the ball leaving a easy pass to the other winger. Vale are then on the back foot trying to chase him down the ball is delivered into the box , but the header from Green goes wide for a goal kick.
10 Montano with a tackle on the edge of the box, he appears to get all the ball, but the referee does not agree and gives a free kick. Charlie Kirk takes it short for Perry Ng, but he smashes it against the wall. This is something Crewe really need to work on as they have had a number of dangerous free kicks that they have not been able to get over the wall.
14 minutes gone and you can hear a wall of sound, booing from Crewe fans, but a song from the Vale fans and its “feed the pope, feed the Pope and he will score”.
Up to this point, Crewe have been the more lively team maybe this is the reason for Popes arrival
Jake Taylor with the goal from close range , the ball bounced in the box after the keeper pushes it off the line after a Nathan Smith header. The stadium erupts when the ball went over the line. Somehow a fan gets onto the pitch displaying a Stoke City shirt and goads the away fans.
On the 21st, Montona is down on the edge of the box following a rebust tackle, he does not looked pleased that nothing was given. He only lasts another 2 minutes and is subbed for Callum Evans.
This game is all about the crosses and yet again a high cross comes in for Crewe Chris porter gets to it with his head, but puts too much on it and it sails over.
Paul Green is take off and replaced with
Ball drifted in perfect for Pope, puts the ball to the keepers right, but he manages to get something on it and pushes it against the bar. Crewe then scrabble it away for a corner. Everyone in the stadium would have put money on that being a goal.
Crewe corner on the 34th Minute, but its played too close to Brown who collects it and starts Vales attack.
Miss kick by Gibbons, Crewe are then gifted a chance running onto goal. Legge has little choice but to make the tackle, he does not time it right though and gets himself a yellow card and a free kick. The ball is delivered to the far post, but too high for any player and goes out for a goal kick.
Great play on the 39th minute between Tom Pope and David Worrall, Tom controls the ball and sees Worrall free on the edge of the box. Plays the through ball, Worrall then takes the shot, but blasts it wide. He should have tested the keeper from there.
Crewe with a cross to the centre of the box, a Vale player appears to have been pushed down so that the Crewe player can get a header, but the referee says no. Scott Brown with a excellent save on the left side of his goal.
Five added minutes, this will mainly be down to the pitch invasion.
Amoo brought down as he breaks away, probably one of the easiest yellow cards, but the cards stay in the pocket. However Brown gets a yellow for time wasting.
The match ends Vale 1 Crewe 0 and it’s a match that could have gone either way with Vale and crewe hitting the bar and post. Vale move up to 10th place and knock Crewe down to forth.
Attendance 7705 with 2261 traveling fans
