Match Analysis: Carlisle 0-1 Port Vale
Get all the post-match reaction as Port Vale secured their first away win of the season with a dramatic late goal with our match report, quotes and post-match stats.
Port Vale earnt their first away win of the season thanks to Tom Pope’s late striker against Carlisle United at Brunton Park.
Micky Adams somewhat surprisingly named the same starting eleven that narrowly defeated Bury in midweek which meant wingers Jennison Myrie-Williams and Kaid Mohamed stayed on the bench. Joining them was Gavin Tomlin who had recovered from injury.
The first chance fell to Carlisle who once again found Chris Neal in fine form. Vale countered through Tom Pope but the striker hit his shot straight at the keeper.
Chances were few and far between as it finished goalless at half-time.
Micky Adams made three quick substitutions on the hour mark with Mohamed, Myrie-Williams and Tomlin all coming on. Myrie-Williams made a quick impression with a mazy run but was unable to break the deadlock. But the home side were also looking dangerous with the Vale defence having to keep alert.
In the final ten minutes, Symington, the Carlisle sub, forced a great save out of Neal and the home side had another chance in the dying moments but the Valiants countered and Pope netted his fourth of the season in injury-time to earn Vale all three points.
Vale: Neal, Duffy, Robertson, Chilvers, Dickinson, Dodds (Mohamed), Griffith, Loft, Birchall (Myrie-Williams), Williamson (Tomlin), Pope
Subs: Johnson, Yates, Hughes, Shuker
Attendance: 3,866 (402 away)
Quotes
“It was an important game for both teams. We wanted a clean sheet and the lads at the back did all the right things at all the right times.”
– Micky Adams
“We had 3,800 hardy souls there who wanted to see us win and we tried so hard to do that. This is what happens when you’re fighting for a few results and I don’t think our performance deserved that. Sometimes in this game you don’t get what you deserve and the dressing room is hurting a little bit.”
– Greg Abbott