Much to consider for Andy Crosby with injuries, red card and Bristol Rovers defeat
A look at the issues facing Port Vale with analysis of their 3-0 defeat at Bristol Rovers
Three goals, one red card and 387 dejected travelling supporters pretty much tell the tale of a hugely frustrating night for Port Vale at Bristol Rovers.
Andy Crosby and his players have responded admirably from that 7-0 mauling at Barnsley on the opening day of the season but this 3-0 defeat was their most chastening experience since then.
They were actually on top before Luke McCormick headed Rovers in front from Jevani Brown’s cross on 25 minutes but a tough task then became a mountainous one when Jesse Debrah was sent off after picking up a second yellow card 38 minutes into his full debut.
Plans to reorganise at half time, hang in the game and hope to force an equaliser were then made realistically redundant when Jack Hunt connected with Aaron Collins’ cross to side-foot Rovers into a 2-0 lead in first half stoppage time.
While ten-man Vale battled way after the break, they never looked like rescuing anything from an evening that got worse on 85 minutes when Jevani Brown bent the ball home from 25 yards.
So, a long journey home for supporters that will have felt longer than usual. Next up? Only leaders Portsmouth away on Saturday.
Please read on for our match analysis including talking points, injury news about Alex Iacovitti, Dan Jones and Ethan Chislett, how the Vale rated and the views of manager Andy Crosby and Joey Barton
Talking points from a frustrating night at Bristol Rovers
The tale of the defeat
Maybe Andy Crosby chose to accentuate the positives in his assessment of this game but he had a fair point when he said his side were on top until the first goal and also battled well with ten men to ensure they at least had a chance of getting back from 2-0 down.
To be honest, that chance looked mostly theoretical for most of the second half as they didn’t create a lot apart from a half-opportunity for substitute James Wilson, before Jevani Brown made it 3-0 six minutes from time, as Rovers moved up three places to 11th.
The manager was also honest enough to say his side caused their own problems by not tracking runners for the first and second goals, so it’s not as if he was pretending Vale had been beaten by some sort of fluke.
But Crosby was perhaps mindful of keeping morale high as his side prepare to finish the week with Saturday’s trip to leaders Portsmouth. Vale, who have dropped two places to eighth, will have to lift themselves and probably have to make a decent half hour here a decent 90 minutes at Fratton Park to avoid a third straight defeat.
Jesse Debrah and a full debut to forget
You’ve got to feel sorry for Jesse Debrah. Any player would want a bit of luck on their full debut, a couple of breaks to go their way. He got none of that, getting a questionable early booking, getting punished for a little indecision when he didn’t clear the ball for Rovers’ opening goal, and then getting a second yellow for what admittedly was a rash decision to slide in on Luke McCormick on 38 minutes.
But it would be harsh indeed to judge him on this, especially when he has made a positive impression over the previous week with his first two appearances for the club, both as a substitute.
Andy Crosby said: “As soon as you go down to ten men it is extremely difficult. The referee has a decision to make. The rules of football have changed over the years in terms of how tackles are interpreted. The referee has made a decision. I am not sure of his thinking behind the first yellow card for a coming together down the side of the box, (that’s how) it appeared from the bench.
“I think it is a really cheap yellow card for Jesse but Jesse Debrah is going to be a fantastic player for this football club. What an absolute top guy, he has amazing attributes and he will learn from it, without a shadow of a doubt and we will be there to support him.
“He was obviously really disappointed at half time, but we will look after him and back him and he will learn from it.”
Now this one’s a keeper
Okay, it’s not great news when you lose 3-0 and your goalkeeper is man of the match but this situation is a bit more nuanced than that.
I had Conor Ripley as Vale’s best player but that wasn’t because he had to make a string of saves to add to the impressive stops to twice keep out Aaron Collins before the break.
Vale’s ten men actually did pretty well to protect their keeper in the second half but what made Ripley stand out was his all-round game. Honestly, Vale have had outfield players with worse distribution than him.
His habit of strolling 35 yards out of his goal to join take the ball square from his centre halves might cause palpitations among some more traditional fans, it might even cause the odd goal to be conceded over the season but Vale will probably gain more from having a keeper so comfortable on the ball.
That was obvious about twenty minutes in when, given the ball closer to the half way line than his own goal, he rolled his foot over it before drilling a perfect pass over the full back to pick out Tom Sang’s run down the right.
He’s clearly got a bit of character about him too, putting up with plenty of stick from the Rovers fans in the terrace behind his goal, and even clapping along with one of the chants.
I’m not casting aspersions here but he also allowed his ten outfield players to have a coaching session on the touchline mid-way through the second half when he sat down and waved for the physio, happily copping plenty of flak from all home sides of the ground when he got to his feet.
Will he have been happy to have been beaten from long range by Jevani Brown late on? Probably not, but his all round game stood out even on a disappointing night like this.
Injury news to compound a frustrating evening
It’s not good I’m afraid. Andy Crosby has revealed defender Alex Iacovitti will be out at least until December with the calf injury he suffered in the first half of Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Bolton.
To compound that, Dan Jones is currently unavailable with a muscle injury. So, with Jesse Debrah facing a one match ban for his dismissal here, Vale are a little short of players for the back three.
Asked about Iacovitti, the manager said: “Alex went for a scan last night and he will be ruled out for a minimum of eight weeks probably. Alex has started the season really well and has been playing well consistently. It is obviously a blow. Unfortunately Dan has picked up an issue with his ‘glute’ as well.”
The Iacovitti and Jones injuries influenced team selection last night with Crosby deciding not to use Kofi Balmer from the start because he is only just back from injury. Balmer came on at half time and did well but Vale don’t want to risk another injury to a central defender so decided to manage his minutes.
Ethan Chislett
The attacking midfielder missed this game with the hamstring concern that kept him out of the Bolton match on Saturday. Andy Crosby said he was left out of this trip as a precaution, adding: “Yes, same issue with his hamstring, I am not sure how long that is going to last, hopefully not too much longer. But we can’t afford to play Ethan when he is not 100 per cent fit, it is up to other players to come in and take their opportunity. Hopefully it won’t be too much longer before Ethan is back.”
How the Vale rated in Bristol Rovers defeat
Ripley: Smart first-half stops to deny Collins from the left of the area and then from a free kick. Distribution also impressive. Low stop to deny Harvey Vale as Rovers pressed for the third goal they eventually got when the keeper was beaten from long range by Brown. 7
Cass: Started on the right of the back three then went into a central two after Debrah was sent off. Beaten in the air by Collins for a goalbound header early on but recovered and, later in the half, came to the rescue with an excellent sliding challenge just as Collins was about to pull the trigger 10 yards out. 6
Smith: Started on the left of the back three but the captain still commanded the defence. Read the game well, as always, and got across to cover when needed. 6.5
Debrah: A bit hesitant in the build up to the first goal and then his evening got worse when, having been booked for an early foul on Collins, he got a second yellow on 38 minutes for a foul on McCormick. A little unlucky, mostly with the first booking. 4
Sang: Started at right wing back and was decent going forward, combining well with Cass. Had to drop into right back after the sending off. 6
Ojo: Probably not as dominant as he would like, or can be, in the first half and then life got tougher once the Vale were a man down. 6
Arblaster: Stated in central midfield alongside Ojo. Not afraid to put a foot in, can pick out a pass before the ball has even arrived to him and also has a knack of getting an accurate pass away even when he’s being challenged. Subbed at half time 6
Plant: Switched back to left wing back after starting on the right on Saturday when he was man of the match. Came close in the first half when he timed his run well to get on the end of Garrity’s low cross, but had his shot blocked by a defender. 6
Garrity: Kicking himself in the first half when he miscued a shot from 12 yards, dragging the ball wide having been picked out by Cass. Not a sitter by any means but, with the form Garrity is in, you would have expected his sixth goal of the season. Had a tough job in the second half, trying to leave Vale with an attacking threat playing high on the right but also tracking back into midfield to win the ball. 6
Devine: Started just on the left of the front three. Seemed a bit unlucky to get booked for catching keeper Matt Cox. The ref had been happy to play on before the keeper went down and the assistant indicated a foul. 5.5
Massey: Given the chance to start having impressed as a half time substitute at home to Bolton on Saturday. This selection was reward for that but it did mean Vale starting without a specialist centre forward. Worked hard as the central striker but the ball didn’t drop for him. 5.5
Subs
Balmer (Cass, 45) Deflected Anthony Evans’ long range shot wide. Accurate cross from the centre half set up a chance for Wilson. 6
Thomas (Arblaster, 45): Worked hard as the central striker as Vale’s ten men lined up 4-4-1, switching to 4-2-3 in possession before Thomas got more support when Wilson came on 6
Grant (Devine, 45) On at half time at left back. Got enough on a back post header to deny Brown as Rovers pressed for a third. Got away a powerful left footed strike but too close to the keeper. 6
Lowe (Plant, 45): Brought a bit of experience to central midfield as Vale at least stopped Rovers running riot with a man extra. 6
Wilson (Massey, 75): had only been on a few moments when he got on the end of Balmer’s cross but his flick was too close to keeper Cox.
Not used: Leutwiler, Walters
(Players have to be on for at least 30 minutes to get a mark).
Bristol Rovers: Cox, Hunt (Gordon, 89), Grant (Hoole, 86), Taylor, Vale, Woods, McCormick (Evans, 62), Bogarde, Martin (Sinclair, 86), Brown (Gibbons, 87), Collins.
Not used: Hall
Referee: Benjamin Speedie 5
Attendance 7,364 (including 378 from Vale)
Andy Crosby’s view
“It was a game we were in absolute control of. I thought we were really bright, very good with the ball, beat their press numerous times in a variety of ways and got into the final third.
“But if you don’t track men into your own box and people run off you and you concede poor goals then you are giving yourself a really big mountain to climb. We conceded poor goals, we then went down to ten men and we do the same thing just before half time where we don’t track our run into the box and they make it 2-0.
“We made changes at half time, we freshened things up to try to stay in the game for as long as we can, to then try to get two up top in the latter stages. I am really so proud of the players’ reaction in the second half. They didn’t go under, they kept going, they kept fighting and we hung in there, we then opened up a little bit to go two up top , but they put one in the top corner.
“We were the team in the ascendancy in the first half, we were in total domination. But ultimately the game is about what happens in both penalty areas.”
Joey Barton’s view
“We said to the lads, look, we are back on our own patch, we will have our fan base behind us, it is a really good surface, let’s make sure we start on the front foot.
“Credit to Port Vale, I thought they came to press us, they were adventurous in the first 20 but after we absorbed that frenetic start, and managed to establish ourselves in the game, I thought we were absolutely excellent.”
And finally….
A frustrating night for the Vale, to say the least. They look like they need another striker in the squad and the defending wasn’t great for those first two goals.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this morning’s newsletter, as much as you can enjoy digesting a 3-0 defeat. Let me know what you think of the talking points, the issues raised and what you think the Vale need to do better for Saturday’s trip to Portsmouth.
We’ll be back with our next issue of The Valiant on Thursday evening.
Up the Vale! Mike
We were yards away from Jesse Debrah for his first booking. Never a booking. This ref Ben Speedie has form after his performance in last season’s Vale v Accrington game.
We’ll never know if 11 v 11 the result would have been different. Rovers were the better side and had scored before the red card.
Rovers have an array of decent forward players in the form of newly signed Martin, Marquis, Brown and the excellent Collins. Unlike Vale!!
Delighted we have added Uche Ikpeazu to the squad. Not prolific but a battering ram up front. I recall current Prem Ref David Coote sending him off in Burton v Vale game. Hope Ikpeazu is oven ready and not needing weeks of getting match fit. Rovers signed free agent Chris Martin only last week and he played for them last night. We need that degree of readiness from Ikpeazu.
Another fine email Mike. You are learning this journalism thing really quickly.
Eddie
Hi Mike,very frustrating to watch we seem to like having possesion but lack any sort of creativity & then lose the ball.Poor defending & lack of options up front gives a little cause for concern,reminds me of some of last season’s efforts.