Prediction panel: Port Vale v Cambridge United
Welcome to our prediction panel feature. Each week father and son duo Rob and Fred will pit their wits against a succession of OVF forum regulars.
About the predictors
Rob founded OVF over twenty years ago and updates the blog on this site. Rob says he is an “absolutely hopeless” predictor. His son Fred is 13 and has been going to see Vale for a few years now. He hopes to “humiliate my dad as per usual.”
This time we’re asking everyone for their prediction for the Cambridge United game…
Rob
Port Vale 2-0 Cambridge United
Vale are usually good value when they start the season with a home fixture and I fancy the old partnership of Louis Dodds and Tom Pope to both be on the scoresheet. I think Vale are definitely stronger at the back than last season and I suspect that Leon Legge will be keen to keep his old club at bay and produce a cleansheet.
Fred
Port Vale 2-1 Cambridge United
I think talisman forward Tom Pope will be on the scoresheet and new goalkeeper Scott Brown will help the Port Vale defence solid in the face of opposition pressure. We will open the season with a hard fought home win.
This week the duo take on forum legend Jacko51…
Jacko51
Port Vale 2-1 Cambridge United
It’s to be hoped that we start better than we finished. Having seen several of the pre-season games I am not confident we will keep a clean sheet but am a little more hopeful of some success at the other end of the pitch. The presence of the erratic Trevor Kettle with a whistle makes predicting anything a bit difficult but I am hopeful of a 2-1 win for Vale with our goals coming from a set-piece via Connell Rawlinson’s head and a mazy run from Monty setting up the lovely Louis Dodds. If this happens, it will be the first time I’ve got a Vale prediction correct in the entire history of the world!
There’s no table this week but over the course of the season we’ll provide a running table. There will be ten points on offer for a completely correct scoreline and five points for predicting the right result.
Ken Williams
2nd August 2018 @ 9:35 pm
A score draw, 1-1. Atkinson to nod one in from a corner but the U’s will equalise just after half time and both teams will settle for a hard earned point. Vale to slowly gel into a unit that creates lots of chances but we are still suspect at the back to speedy counter attacks. All I n all a reasonable start to the campaign.