Transformed Port Vale see out the year in style

An in-depth look at Port Vale following their 3-0 win at home to Blackpool in League One

Nathan Smith celebrates scoring Vale’s final goal in the 3-0 win at home to Blackpool. Picture by Tom Green.

Port Vale signed off for 2023 with one of their best performances of the season to beat Blackpool 3-0 at Vale Park.

The win lifts Andy Crosby’s side to 14th as they built on a much-improved second-half performance in their 3-2 Boxing Day defeat at home to Barnsley.

They had play-off chasing Blackpool on the back foot when Ben Garrity raced on to Ethan Chislett’s pass to open the scoring on 39 minutes, then pressed home their advantage when James Wilson netted from the edge of the area 12 minutes into the second half. Captain Nathan Smith forced home the third ten minutes from time to wrap up a convincing win for a Vale side who featured teenage wing-backs Jack Shorrock and Ben Lomax making their full league debuts.

If you’d like to subscribe to The Valiant, the £10 offer for your first year is still available for a limited time. As well as covering you for 12 months, your subscription also gives access to all 50 editions since we launched at the start of October.

Please read on for our Saturday December 30 edition in full as we look at the game and all things Vale…