Two minute guide to: Port Vale v Chesterfield
It’s the start of the Easter weekend and an absolutely vital game for the Valiants…
Essentials
Match details
Vale form guide
Vale’s top scorers
Predict the score
News
Match background
Vale may be without a win this year but a decent performance on Saturday earned them a valuable away point against Wycombe.
Off the pitch there was the sad news that long-serving veteran Adam Yates (right) has been forced to retire.
The Easter period looks like it could make or break Vale’s season with two games against fellow strugglers Chesterfield and Crewe.
What will the Vale look like?
After veteran Michael Tonge missed the game against Wycombe he could miss out again after Ben Whitfield (right) put in an impressive display in midfield.
Young striker Dan Turner, a second-half sub on Saturday, could challenge Anton Forrester for a starting place upfront but otherwise it is expected that Vale will be unchanged.
Pre-match quote
“There are a lot of points up for grabs and we feel like we are going in the right direction, we feel we’ve deserved a couple of wins in the last few weeks and it would be a perfect time to put it right this weekend.
“We go into games knowing that we are capable of winning, as opposed to just hoping. It just coincides with our leading goal scorer being out injured, and that is the key for us, we just don’t feel that we have enough goals in the team…”
Vale coach Gary Brabin
Boss watch
Jack Lester
The former Chesterfield striker took over in September 2017 and has now been in charge for over 30 games.
Stats and facts
Overall record
- Port Vale wins: 33
- Port Vale losses: 43
- Draws: 22
Last time we…
Last time we met Vale slipped to a disappointing 2-0 away defeat back in August.
However, the last two home games have both resulted in wins for Vale.
The last time was in December 2016 when a solitary strike from veteran winger Jerome Thomas (right) earned the Valiants a 1-0 victory.
Connections
Played for both…
Vale defender Charlie Raglan (right) could well line-up against one of his former clubs.
The Valiants could be due another encounter with former forward Louis Dodds. He joined the Spireites in January and has already scored against the Vale earlier in the season for former club Shrewsbury Town.
Former Valiants Joe Anyon and loanee Jak McCourt are also in the Chesterfield squad.