Preview: Port Vale versus Plymouth Argyle, League Two, Sept 14th 2019
Can the Valiants bounce back from a disappointing defeat at Newport with a home win over Plymouth Argyle?
Team news
Will this game see the return of midfielder Manny Oyeleke to the Port Vale midfield? The player has returned to training after suffering a hamstring injury earlier this season. However, if Oyeleke doesn’t make it then summer signing Callum Evans has earned praise for his performances since moving into midfield. Meanwhile, Port Vale manager John Askey says the side needs to learn from the Newport defeat and develop a winning mentality.
More headlines
Elsewhere there’s good news for Vale striker Richie Bennett who has been formally credited with Vale’s winning goal over Cambridge. It takes Bennett’s tally for the season to three and makes him the season’s top scorer. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Scott Brown has singled out defender James Gibbons after the full-back’s strong start to the season.
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Stats
The two sides last met in 2014 in what was a thrilling five goal fixture. Plymouth took an early lead only for Jordan Hugill to equalise on the half-hour mark. Conor Hourihane gave Argyle the lead again on 36 minutes but two Vale goals in the last 30 minutes gave Vale the win. The Valiants goals came from Ben Williamson and Jennison Myrie-Williams. The last fixture at Vale Park ended in a 2-2 draw with Gavin Tomlin and Tom Pope (right) scoring for the Vale.
The overall record between the two sides is 25 Port Vale wins, 21 Plymouth Argyle wins and ten draws. Vale are unbeaten in their last three home fixtures against Argyle.
Connections
Vale fans will see the return of former winger Byron Moore to Vale Park. Now aged 31, the former Crewe Alex player spent two years in Burslem from 2014 to 2016. The 31 year-old joined Argyle in the summer from Bury and has been a regular starter this season.
Pre-match chat
Our home form is vital, players look as though they enjoy playing at home, the crowd get behind us and it makes a big difference, so whoever comes here we feel as though we can give anybody a game, and there’s no reason why we can’t win the game on Saturday. We feel as though we can match anybody, I know we lost at Newport but I felt we were a match for Newport, so it’s about on the day, it’s about us and if we perform we know we’ll get a result…
Port Vale manager John Askey (right)
Memory match
We hope you didn’t miss this feature from earlier this week which featured some fans images from a memorable Port Vale visit to to Plymouth a few years ago.