Match Analysis: Port Vale 4-1 Salisbury
Striker Tom Pope scored his fiftieth Vale career goal as the Valiants managed to beat a battling Salisbury side on Friday night.
Striker Tom Pope scored his fiftieth Vale career goal as the Valiants managed to beat a battling Salisbury side on Friday night.
Vale kept the same side that had defeated Walsall on Saturday while the visitors lined up with five in midfield.
The visitors looked comfortable for the opening period and had the chance to take the lead when Richard Duffy slipped but they failed to take their chance.
On 25 minutes Vale made them pay for that missed chance as defender Chris Robertson gave Vale the lead with his fourth goal of the season.
But Vale failed to build on that goal and Salisbury came more into the game in the second-half. Then Vale Park was stunned when the visitors scored a shock equaliser as Dan Fitchett netted on the hour mark.
However, Vale retook the lead through Tom Pope’s ninth goal of the season (and fiftieth of his Vale career) on 78 minutes, while impressive sub Rob Taylor made the tie secure with the third three minutes later.
Then with minutes remaining, fellow sub Ben Williamson made it four for the Vale – a score that probably flattered the home side who had struggled against their Valiant non-league opponents.
That was enough to take Vale into the third round draw and a potentially lucrative tie against a big club. But credit to Salisbury who battled hard only to go home to Wiltshire empty-handed.
Vale: Johnson, Yates, Robertson, Duffy, Dickinson, Myrie-Williams (Williamson), Lines, Griffith (Taylor), Birchall, Pope, Tomlin (Dodds)
Subs: Boot, Hughes, Jones, Dodds, Chilvers
Attendance: 4,658