Two minute guide to Mansfield Town v Port Vale
It’s the second away game in a row for Port Vale – here’s our guide to the match…
Pre-match newsdesk
Vale are clearly pretty pleased with the strength in depth of their squad at the moment. Loanee Scott Quigley pushed his claim for a first-team place with a goal in the Checkatrade win over Walsall while Manny Oyeleke and Cristian Montano are fit again.
Manager Neil Aspin has said that “everyone is in contention” and that is surely the sort of selection problem he welcomes.
Memory match
The Valiants won a five goal thriller back in April 1987 in front of 2,625 fans at Vale Park.
Vale’s goalscorers that day were strikers Darren Beckford, Andy Jones and a winning goal from wideman Paul Maguire (pictured right)
Quotes
“I’ve watched Mansfield play and I’ve looked at the players that they have, and they’re a team I expect to challenge at the top end of the table. What I expect from us is that we go there and give them a really good game. Whoever comes out on top is going to have to work exceptionally hard to get a result. We’re not going there to sit back. We have to be disciplined in our defending, but we must carry a threat going forward as well, so we will be looking to do that…”
Port Vale manager Neil Aspin
Man in charge
Mansfield boss David Flitcroft will know Tom Pope and Antony Kay well having managed both of them while at Bury. The former defender was appointed Town boss in March 2018 and has now been in charge for 35 games.
Stats and facts
This will be the fiftieth meeting between the two sides. Vale have won 21, Mansfield have won 15 and there have been 13 draws.
Vale’s away record is pretty darn good with a draw and three wins from their last four visits. Tom Pope (right) scored Vale’s last goal at Field Mill.
Featured connection
The Valiants could well come up against former loanee Craig Davies who is now a Mansfield Town player. Davies joined the Valiants in 2010 and had a successful spell where he scored seven goals in 24 appearances. He played for the likes of Chesterfield, Barnsley and Bolton before joining Town in the summer.
Other connections
Another former Port Vale loanee, striker Tyler Walker is also expected to feature while Vale’s summer signing Ricky Miller (pictured right) spent a spell on loan with Town last season. And there’s more – former Vale loan men Krystian Pearce and Will Atkinson are also in the Mansfield squad.
Crossing the lines
There have been a whole host of players to appear for both clubs so without further ado here is a long (but by no means comprehensive) list – Kevin Kent, Neville Chamberlain, Gary Roberts, Colin Daniel (right), Lee Collins, George Pilkington, Ritchie Sutton, Kyle Perry, Jake Speight, Ernie Moss, Rob Taylor, Allen Tankard, Calvin Andrew and Exodus Geohaghon