Signs of improvement in Cheltenham stalemate

A look at Port Vale after they kicked off 2025 with a goalless draw at home to Cheltenham

Lorent Tolaj goes close for Vale. Pic by Tom Green

Hello and welcome to our Thursday morning edition of The Valiant for January 2.

Vale are down a place to fifth after having to settle for a goalless draw at home to Cheltenham despite a much-improved performance.

Ben Garrity’s return from injury clearly lifted Vale’s whose first-half display was arguably their best since the captain’s last game in the win at home to AFC Wimbledon in October.

Kyle John, Lorent Tolaj and Ronan Curtis all went close as Vale had much the better of the first half but Cheltenham came back into the game after the break and came closest to scoring when Sam Stubbs’ header forced a superb reflex save from Ben Amos who had been called up to the side as one of seven changes to the team beaten at Grimsby.

The result stretches Vale’s winless run in the league to eight games - and they have only scored once in their last six league matches - but at least there looked something to build on ahead of Saturday’s trip to second-placed Doncaster Rovers.

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