Match Preview: Port Vale v Swindon Town, December 29th 2019
The Valiants take on league leaders Swindon Town at Vale Park and will be keen to avoid any late slip-ups after the disappointment of the Mansfield draw. Read our match preview…
Team news
Midfielder Tom Conlon (pictured right) will be available for selection after his suspension for violent conduct. Port Vale will also be hopeful that key midfielder Jake Taylor will have recovered from an injury. If he fails to make it Will Atkinson is set to deputise. Speaking after the draw with Mansfield on Boxing Day manager John Askey said “I would hope . It just depends how it settles down. But if he doesn’t, I thought Will came in and did really well and Scott Burgess was back to what we know he can do.”
Stats
The two sides last met last season when it ended in a goalless draw at the County Ground. The last meeting at Vale Park finished as a 1-0 win for the Robins. Vale’s last win over Swindon came five games ago when JJ Hooper (pictured right) scored twice to help Vale to a 3-2 victory. However, the Valiants have won just two of their last five home games against Swindon.
Overall, Vale have won thirty times, Swindon have won thirty four and there have been twenty draws.
Opposition Guide
Managed by Richie Wellens, who was frequently linked to Vale in his playing days, Swindon are riding high at the top of the table. Striker Eoin Doyle is leading the goalscoring charts with a staggering twenty goals from just twenty league games. Other familiar faces include forward Keishi Anderson, defender Zeki Fryers and goalkeeper Luke McCormick.
Connections
The Valiants are likely to face former midfielder Anthony Grant who is on a season-long loan from Shrewsbury Town. Grant, who spent two years at Vale has made seventeen appearances so far this season.
Other players to appear for both sides in recent years include defender Ryan McGivern, midfielder Jak McCourt and striker Billy Paynter.
Pre-match quote
“All of the other teams that we’ve played, it’s brought out the best in us, so hopefully that’ll be the case on Sunday, it’ll be a tough game… it’ll be a good test for us and hopefully we can get a result as we’ve done against the other top teams….”
Port Vale manager John Askey
Memory match
It was a real pity that the final game of Port Vale’s 1959-60 season brought in the lowest attendance of the season – 5,514 – as those present witnessed a comprehensive Valiants win over Swindon. Harry Oscroft scored four times, doubling his tally for the rest of the season while Cliff Portwood (pictured right) and an own-goal made it 6-0 to the Vale. Ironically, the next season Vale were to lose 6-0 to the Robins as they gained their revenge.