Vale stretched too far in FA Cup exit

An in-depth look at Port Vale after their 3-1 FA Cup defeat at home to Barnsley

Ronan Curtis can’t quite get over the ball from Conor Grant’s cross. Pic by Tom Green

Hello and welcome to our Sunday morning edition of The Valiant for November 3.

Let’s face it, there are worse seasons to have to concentrate on the league.

I’m not trying to airbrush a disappointing afternoon in which the Vale went out of the FA Cup with a 3-1 defeat at home to Barnsley, but moving on shouldn’t be all that difficult as they will kick off next Saturday top of the league away to a Gillingham side who were one of the pre-season favourites for promotion.

Vale’s FA Cup campaign – all 90 minutes plus stoppages of it - won’t play a prominent role in their end-of-season highlights whatever happens over the next six months.

Darren Moore’s side could have had a bit more luck with a penalty not given in their favour at one end and one given against them at the other. But the truth is Barnsley were the better side and deserved their win.

They looked like they might stroll into the second round when they had much the better of the first 20 minutes and took the lead on 18 when Marc Roberts headed home Corey O’Keeffe’s free kick at the far post.

But Ronan Curtis levelled from close range on 32 minutes as Vale enjoyed their best spells in 15 minute blocks either side of the break.

It wasn’t enough as O’Keefe crossed for Davis Keillor-Dunn to steer the ball past Connor Ripley on 64 minutes before Jesse Debrah was penalised for a push on Stephen Humphrys and substitute Adam Phillips sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot on 82.

Vale worked hard in the absence of regular central midfield pairing Ben Garrity and Ryan Croasdale but effort couldn’t quite compete with Barnsley’s greater quality.

We’ve got talking points from the Vale on and off the pitch as well as lots more news, analysis, opinion and nostalgia. In fact, all things Vale.

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