Late drama as Vale boost their survival chances
An in-depth look at Port Vale in our Sunday February 11 edition after the 2-2 draw at home to Stevenage
Funso Ojo’s 98th-minute penalty earned Port Vale a 2-2 draw at home to Stevenage to raise hopes they can get out of relegation trouble.
The Vale remain fourth from bottom after only taking two points from their last six games but they gave supporters encouragement with a bright first-half performance in which they deservedly led though Terence Vancooten’s sixth-minute own goal.
Stevenage turned the game around with goals from Jamie Reid, on 52 minutes, and Vancooten, on 58, but Vale were given a way back when the assistant referee flagged that Tom Sang’s cross had been handled by Dan Butler.
Ojo scored from the spot to give Vale a point in their second game under interim manager Will Ryder. They return to action on Tuesday away to Peterborough.
If you would like to sign up to The Valiant, there’s a £20 offer (50% off) for your first year. That also includes access to all 71 previous editions since we launched at the start of October.
If you have subscribed, thank you for your support and please read on for news, analysis, opinion, nostalgia and more…
Talking points from Port Vale 2, Stevenage 2
The crowd help make a point
What the crowd lacked in numbers it made up for in support.
The 5,296 gate was the lowest on a Saturday since the club returned to League One. The lowest, in fact, since 5,131 saw the game at home to Crawley in March 2022.
But it was also an extremely supportive crowd who stuck by the team. It seemed the crowd and players drove each other on, with supporters looking for any kind of spark on the pitch and then eagerly encouraging their side as Vale were clearly on top before the break.
Even the chants of ‘we’ve scored a goal’ from the Hamil after the opener seemed genuinely joyful rather than sarcastic.
The noise levels dropped when Stevenage scored twice in the second half but I didn’t detect any sign of the crowd turning on the team before Funso Ojo rescued a point.
That was certainly appreciated by Will Ryder, who said: “I really need to thank all the fans. They were unbelievable. They got behind us and they stuck with it. Even when we needed to recycle the ball, when we needed to come out and try to switch play, they stuck with us.
“I think they could see what the players were giving.”
The search for a manager
Darren Moore is Vale’s first-choice to become their next manager, according to transfer expert Alan Nixon.
Nixon reports on his Patreon site this morning that the former Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield boss is wanted by the Vale to replace Andy Crosby.
He adds: “Moore left Huddersfield last month but may be open to dropping into League One and Vale have made him their first choice.”
Moore led Sheffield Wednesday to promotion from League One last season, steering them through the play-offs after they finished the regular season on 96 points. But he then left the Owls by mutual consent in the summer.
He was appointed Huddersfield manager but sacked two weeks ago with the Championship club on a run of three wins in 23 games.
The 49-year-old made nearly 700 career appearances as a player with Torquay, Doncaster, Bradford, Portsmouth, West Brom, Derby, Barnsley and Burton.
He managed West Brom in the Premier League and Championship before spells in charge of Doncaster, Wednesday and Huddersfield.
There seems to have been an assumption that Vale will go for a coach rather than a manager to work in their structure. But they didn’t do that two years ago when director of football David Flitcroft recommended Darrell Clarke for the job.
I believe the names Vale were looking at before then included Crewe’s then coach Alex Morris. But Flitcroft quickly assessed the situation after his own appointment and said they should go for the experienced Clarke to make an impact on a team that wasn’t safe from relegation from League Two.
You’d expect the new manager to work closely with the director of football but that doesn’t mean they can’t have experience.
Kacper Lopata
I must admit to liking Kacper Lopata from pretty much the moment he signed on loan from Barnsley.
The Vale press office were good enough to send me half a dozen pictures of him being unveiled at Vale Park. What stood out was he looks absolutely furious in all of them.
This is what you want from a centre half. I haven’t actually spoken to him but I’m sure he’s a lovely fella who, for all I know, spends his spare time helping old ladies across the road.
But he looks pretty serious about keeping goals out of the Vale net, both in his appearance and his performances over the last week.
His debut was one of the few positives for Vale in Tuesday’s defeat to Leyton Orient and he was better again in this game.
So, it was concerning that he had to hobble off mid-way through the second half but Will Ryder sounded pretty hopeful after the game.
He said: “It is something we will have to assess. The medical team will look at it today, he will be straight into his recovery strategies already. He is a tough lad. Let’s see whether we can roll him back out on the pitch again on Tuesday.”
Vale strikers
We went on holiday to North Wales once – bear with me this is going somewhere – and the fella who rented us the cottage let us in and recommended a local pub.
When we followed his recommendation, it turned out he was serving behind the bar. I think he might have worked at the village post office too.
I thought of him when the team news came out on Saturday and it was clear the entire Vale Park striking department now consists of James Wilson.
I know Baylee Dipepa has signed a pro deal but he only turned 17 in January so it’s a bit unfair to consider him a senior striker. That leaves Ryan Loft who missed this game through injury, Uche Ikpeazu who is out injured until at least mid-April and then, thank goodness, Wilson.
The good news is the update on Loft from Will Ryder: “It is not going to be a long-term injury. He has had his scan and we are very hopeful he will be back with the group as soon as possible.”
The other good news is Wilson looked back to form after a couple of subdued performances, against Fleetwood and Orient.
In fact, he was instrumental in Vale’s bright start as he repeatedly found space, got at the defence and found team mates. That’s exactly what happened for the first goal as Wilson found Gavin Massey whose low cross forced the own goal from Terence Vancooten.
I’m not saying anything you don’t already know here but Wilson is a class act. Keep him fit and playing like this and Vale can get out of trouble.
Ethan Chislett and IFollow
You’ll have to fill me in if you watched the game on IFollow with the Stevenage commentary but, judging by some reviews on social media, the away summarisers were none too complimentary about Ethan Chislett.
I’ve no idea what was said but Chislett definitely wasn’t anonymous. In fact, he was an absolute pest to the Stevenage defence from his starting position on the left of the front three, whether that was with his clever runs or winding up Jake Forster-Caskey by insisting he move his free kick back three yards and, when he did that, insisting he moved it back three more.
Lovely stuff. Chislett was excellent in the first half before fading a bit after the break before he was subbed on 59 minutes. He was still named sponsors’ man of the match though and I can see why.
Funso Ojo and big moments
I’m stating the bleeding obvious by saying it was a big moment when Funso Ojo stood over the ball on the penalty spot with Vale 2-1 down and 98 minutes on the clock.
The point he secured with his nerveless spot-kick might seem even bigger at the end of the season if Vale are still a League One club.
Hopefully it doesn’t come down to a single point or goal difference. Preferably this penalty, to earn a draw and stop Vale suffering a fourth successive defeat, will change the momentum at Vale Park.
Just having Ojo back in the side after six weeks out with a hamstring injury is also huge for Vale. This was his third game back, the first time he has completed the 90 minutes, and his best performance of the three.
The overview
I’ve seen the replay and I’m still not sure whether Tom Sang’s cross struck Dan Butler’s arm for the late penalty but I thought Vale were worth a draw overall.
The match stats reflect a close game with Vale having 12 shots (four on target) and Stevenage 11 shots (4 on target). Vale had 59% of possession.
Congratulations Will Ryder
I felt a bit sorry for the academy director on Tuesday when he took the team at short notice for that 1-0 defeat at home to Leyton Orient. He can’t have had much time to work with the players before what was a pretty disheartening performance. But four days on and the interim boss not only sent out a side that were much better than promotion-chasing Stevenage in the first half, they also had the resilience to come back for a draw after largely being outplayed after the break.
He’s happy to continue, along with his academy staff Danny Lloyd and Matt Done, with the assistance of goalkeeper coach Carlo Nash, until the new manager is appointed. We’ll see if the new appointment is in place before Tuesday’s game at Peterborough.
Speaking after Saturday’s game he said: “I will be looking now at the game on Tuesday tonight. We will be going back into our prep tomorrow and will be doing the same on Monday ready for Tuesday night. Until I am told otherwise, we carry on.”
Elsewhere in the relegation battle
Vale knew a win over Stevenage would have taken them out of the relegation zone because the two teams above them, Reading and Charlton, were playing each other. Instead, Vale’s draw keeps them fourth-from bottom, level with Charlton with two games in hand after the Addicks lost 2-0 at the Royals.
Like Reading, Shrewsbury are only three points above the Vale, having also played two games more. But they also picked up a decent result, drawing 1-1 at Derby thanks to Aaron Pierre’s 87th-minute equaliser.
Of the teams below Vale, bottom-of-the-table Carlisle were beaten 1-0 at home by leaders Portsmouth. That was their sixth successive defeat since they won at home to Vale on New Year’s Day and leaves them 11 points from safety.
Second-from-bottom Fleetwood were heading for a third successive victory when they led 1-0 at Lincoln but Bosun Lawal, who was outstanding in their win over Vale, was sent off at the end of the first half and the Imps came back to win 2-1.
So, Cheltenham are now third bottom after former Vale striker Matty Taylor scored in a 1-0 win at Cambridge. That puts Darrell Clarke’s side five points behind Vale having also played 29 games. To say Vale’s game at Whaddon Road next Saturday is a big one is an understatement.
Respect for Andy Crosby
It was good to hear Funso Ojo say he messaged Andy Crosby after the game. Crosby lost his job on Monday, along with assistant John Schofield and coach David Dunn, but clearly hasn’t been forgotten.
Ojo said he was very close to Crosby and his staff, adding: “I spoke to the gaffer afterwards and said this one is for you. I am still sad that he has gone but you have to move forward.”
Lewis Cass
Nice to see Lewis Cass mark his Stockport County debut with a goal. The 23-year-old, who joined County on loan from Vale on deadline day, started the game and scored their third of a 3-1 win at Grimsby. That win put Stockport four points clear at the top of League Two.
Port Vale player ratings
Ripley: Started well with an inch-perfect 50 yard pass to Massey’s feet. Decent save low to his left to deny Nathan Thompson just before the break. Kept Vale in the game at 2-1 when he saved from Hemmings. 6
Smith: Right-side of the back three after being recalled to the side. The captain mistimed an early header into touch but soon settled in. Enjoyed the battle with Oliver before the target man was taken off at half time. 6
Lopata: Middle centre half and built on a decent debut at home to Leyton Orient in midweek. Looks like he relishes a physical challenge which was just as well. Got a whack in the chops from Oliver from an aerial challenge. Didn’t look too perturbed when, as he won a header, he got a dig in the ribs from the same player. Seemed to be vocal and organising. Forced to hobble off on 64 minutes 7
Debrah: Left-side of the back three. Had a shot blocked in the area early before an excellent curling effort from around 30 yards tested the keeper. Moved to the right of the back three when Jones came on. 6
Massey: Right-wing back. Recalled to the side in place of Tom Sang and certainly justified that selection with his first-half performance. It was his driven low cross that led to Vancooten’s own goal on six minutes. Forcing a corner with a bright run was typical of his efforts. Pushed further forward when Sang came on 6
Lowe: One half of an experienced central midfield partnership with Funso Ojo. Maybe a bit unlucky to be booked for a foul on Guinness-Walker on 28 minutes. Nice ball into Chislett created a half chance. Moved into the right of the back three when Debrah went off. Denied by a great save in the first minute of stoppage time. 6
Ojo: Speculative left footed effort flew well over from 22 yards. Forced a corner with a quarterback-style cross-field pass towards Chislett. Held his nerve with a well-struck penalty to rescue a point deep into injury time. 7
Grant: Left-wing back. Recalled to the side in place of Jack Shorrock and had a solid game. Great cross for Chislett on 21 minutes. Sent a 20-yard effort a couple of yards over on 77 minutes. 6
Weir: Left of the front three after being moved further forward as Vale switched from a 3-5-2 to a 3-4-3 for this one. Frustration 20 minutes from time when he broke through the middle but a sideways pass to Grant was too far behind the wing-back and into touch. Decent free kick to pick out Grant for a second half effort. Dropped a bit deeper into central midfield in the closing stages. 6
Wilson: Nice early touch to free Chislett in the right of the area. Broke forward and found Massey in the build up to the goal. Pulled a low 20-yard effort inches wide. Clever flick header from Grant’s corner almost forced a second goal. 6.5
Chislett: Had a good game although perhaps should have done better than head over from Grant’s excellent cross. Flattened by Piergianni to earn the centre half a 33rd-minute booking. Fouled off the ball by Forster-Caskey who was booked. Great ball into Wilson almost forced a goal at the start of the second half, then was back in his own area to dispossess Reid ten minutes into the second half. Sponsors’ man of the match. 7
Subs:
Mighten (Chislett, 59) Left of the front three. Jinked his way past a defender on the left of the area but his cut back was cleared before Wilson could connect. Beat Freeman to win a free kick on the left. Had penalty appeals waved away when he went down 12 minutes from time. Booked for dissent on 82 minutes. 6
Jones (Lopata, 65): Went to the left of the back three and intercepted Butler’s ball across goal. 6
Dipepa (Wilson, 83) Worked hard in the central striker role supported by Mighten and Massey.
Sang (Debrah, 83) Went to right-wing back as Massey moved inside. Decent late cross was headed clear by Hemmings before another dangerous cross was ruled to have been handled.
Not used: Leutwiler, Shorrock, Walters.
(Players have to be on for 30 minutes for a mark)
Stevenage: MacGillivray, James-Wildin, N Thompson (Butler, 45), Piergianni, Forster-Caskey (L Thompson, 45), Freeman, Vancooten, Burns (MacDonald, 88), Reid, Guinness-Walker (Roberts, 75) Oliver (Hemmings 45).
Subs: Ashby-Hammond, B Thompson.
Referee: Scott Challis 6
Attendance 5,296 (including 145 from Stevenage)
Entertainment 6
The view of Vale interim manager Will Ryder
“It has certainly been a rollercoaster of emotions. I have just spoken with the players, the group of staff and everyone in the changing rooms. What most pleased me was how the players stuck to the plan. They didn’t deviate from what we have worked on this week, what we have spoken about and the analysis we have done.
“We stuck to what we knew could work for us. It was just really disappointing not to get three points but I am delighted we have managed to get something out of the game because we definitely deserved it.
“We had a plan with the staff on Wednesday around what we were going after, after Tuesday night’s game. We have come in and worked really hard both on and off the pitch, in the classroom and on the grass with our game plan, our strategy and making sure first of all that we are going to compete and do the horrible side of things. We talked first of all about getting pressure on the ball and winning duels.
“I think that was evident today, that commitment from the players and tenacity. I spoke a lot on Tuesday about grit. They have shown all that today in abundance.
“What we then needed were cool heads when we retained possession. We had a clear strategy about how we wanted to do that, our wing-backs were really important.
“And the front players provided so much energy, willing runners in beyond, forward passes when we could, and then combination play in and around that final third.
“I think were unlucky not to get more (goals) than we got. I am just absolutely delighted for every single one of them in the changing room that we have now swung the momentum.
“It is not three points. We are not going to get carried away with it. But what we can do now is have a platform to build.
“We have a quick turnaround now. We have another game on Tuesday. But the players are really pleased with how they have performed and managing to get a point out of the game.”
Opposition view from Stevenage boss Steve Evans
“In the first half we were appalling, that is probably a very kind word for it.
“I think there was a lack of respect from some of our playing staff towards the Port Vale players. They certainly never got that from me because I know a lot of them personally and I have seen Port Vale play many times. I think we said in the build up to the game they have outplayed us on three occasions this season.
“It looked as though it was going to be a continuation but we changed it at half time. We changed the personnel and we changed the shape when we could do. We got back in the game, and scored a couple of good goals.
“We missed two absolute sitters to kill the game, Jamie Reid and Finley Burns. You can’t get any better than seven or eight yards out in the middle of the goal but we were trying to hit it so hard that it ends up back in Stevenage rather than pass it in the corner.
“I thought the points were ours when Craig (MacGillivray) makes an absolutely fantastic save. Then we are well over the added time, a cross comes into the box and the assistant referee gives a penalty which, on the video review, there is just not a chance is that a penalty.
“It is no surprise it is at the home end. It is no surprise it is home supporters behind him and behind the goal. It is just an absolutely appalling decision. I apportion no blame to the referee, I thought he had a reasonably good game. But you can’t have an assistant referee get involved in the game like that…and then we look at it, and it’s not a penalty.”
Reigning champions of the Potteries
The Vale were in action across the city this weekend 22 years ago in the last Potteries derby.
Just to be clear, I’m talking about at senior level so the 4-0 win over Stoke’s under-21s in the Trophy six years ago doesn’t count for these purposes.
It doesn’t matter though because the Vale also won the last senior derby, held on Sunday February 10, 2002.
Brian Horton’s side won it thanks to Micky Cummins whose 36th-minute header, from Matty Carragher’s long throw, sank Gudjon Thordarson’s City and technically means the Vale are the reigning derby champions.
Boss Horton said after the game: “In the first 45 minutes we were magnificent and the game should have been over.
“In the second half we dug in and kept a clean sheet. We have a young team and they set themselves a high standard today.”
The result meant Stoke had only beaten Vale in two of their last 13 games. However, they won promotion at the end of the campaign to put the Potteries derbies on hold.
It was fitting the winner was scored by Cummins, one of the most popular players to have pulled on the shirt since the turn of the century.
An inspired signing by Horton, the then-21 year old arrived in March 2000 from Middlesbrough, initially on a deal until the end of the season before signing a two-year contract that summer.
He mainly played in midfield but also did well at right back and was excellent at right-wing back in the side that won the LDV Vans Trophy in Cardiff in 2001.
The winner at Stoke was one of 34 goals he scored in his six years in a Vale shirt. A deflected header, it probably wasn’t his best finish but it was certainly significant.
Stoke City: Cutler, Clarke, Thomas, Shtaniuk, Flynn (Iwelumo, 89), Goodfellow, Gudjonsson, O‘Connor, Vandeurzen (Henry, 71), Cooke, Dadason (S Thordarson, 63).
Subs: Bevan, Rowson.
Port Vale: Goodlad, Carragher, Rowland, Walsh, Burns, Cummins, Brisco, Bridge-Wilkinson, Durnin, McPhee, Brooker.
Subs: Delaney, McClare, Ingram, Armstrong, O’Callaghan.
Referee: G Laws (Whitley Bay).
Attendance: 23,019.
And finally….
Let’s hope that late penalty and the point marks a reversal of Vale’s fortunes. As usual all your comments on the game or indeed all things Vale are much appreciated.
See you on Monday evening for our next edition.
Up the Vale!
Mike
For me it was a thoroughly deserved draw. Vale largely dominated the first half as the half time stats on the scoreboard indicated though Ripley did push one around the post for their ONLY corner of the game. Lowe came desperately close to scoring just before we did. I’m not going to pretend I shouted ‘pen’ before the Asst Ref flagged vigorously. Butler reacted as though no pen but for a player to do that is hardly unknown!
Is there something in the nature of Potteries folk (I am one, born and bred) which produces a pessimistic character and accentuates the negative? I am obviously generalising here but it is as a result of reading comments on messageboards and listening to Praise and Grumble (especially one caller who shall be nameless). For some if we win (as in early season) it is because Vale were lucky and if we lose it is fully deserved because we were rubbish. I have also noticed in some a wish to be correct in their dire forecasts. I might predict a 3-0 defeat at Peterborough on Tuesday but I want to be wrong. I am very odd perhaps in wanting Vale to win, however lucky we are. Some thoughts on this tendency to be half-empty all the time please? Surely I am not alone in detecting this. Anyone fancy doing their PhD on this subject including analysing if it is a national or merely local tendency?
My afternoon started in exciting fashion. My season tkt for the Railway Stand allowed me access in the usual way but immediately shut me in, unable to go back or forward! The Steward was unsure how to release me. He tried to use my season tkt again but it said it had already been used, unsurprisingly. I thought they’d have to fetch a hoist or the Fire Brigade. Then I remembered I also had with me the season tkt belonging our great mate Dave Picken, passed it to the Steward who let me in! Why wasn’t Dave there. Pathetic excuse I know but Dave just happens to live near Melbourne, not Derbyshire but Australia. Yes, Middleport born Dave still loyally buys a Vale season tkt as he wants to contribute from afar. My loving wife took a picture of me locked in the turnstile. Signed copies will be available shortly!
Eddie
After yesterday I have attended 42.2 Vale games. 0.2? Well, I did see the 16 mins at Reading so I count that as 0.2 of a game! Frighteningly, had I been locked inside that turnstile for the whole game it would only have been 41.2 games. Relief!
Eddie