Mansfield Town v Port Vale preview (League Two)
Mansfield Town v Port Vale preview: it’s the first game of 2021 but can Port Vale now build on their battling point away at Bradford City?
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Match details:
Teams: Mansfield Town v Port Vale
Competition: League Two
Venue: Field Mill stadium
Kick-off: Saturday 2nd January, 3pm
Image: 0404 Field Mill (3)” by ian262 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Form guide:
The draw against Bradford was a welcome point for the Valiants – their first in three games. However, Vale have a mere three points from their last five games and could badly do with some more. In contrast, opponents Mansfield have six points from their last five games with a win and three draws.
Port Vale team news:
After the performance against Bradford, it’s tempting for Vale to keep the same line-up. However, the club have had a blow with the news that another player has joined Tom Conlon in self-isolating with Covid. It remains to be seen if the player was in the starting eleven but if not, Vale will probably want to name the same starting eleven. It would mean Shaun Brisley (pictured) keeping his place in central defence alongside Leon Legge and Nathan Smith carrying on as right-back. If that happens then the most activity is likely to be on the bench. The Valiants left out transfer-listed pair Robinson and McKirdy on Tuesday and named three youth teamers. However, if the likes of David Worrall, Cristian Montano and Mark Cullen are fit they could replace the youngsters on the bench.
Possible Starting XI:
Brown – Smith, Brisley, Legge, Fitzpatrick – Joyce, Burgess, Whitehead – Amoo, Rodney, Hurst
One to watch:
David Fitzpatrick may not hog the headlines but his performance against Bradford City was arguably his best so far. After missing summer training, it took the left-back a while to find his form but he’s now looking a decent accquisition and on Tuesday night he both threatened the Bradford goal and made some crucial interventions at the back..
Opposition players to watch:
Dangerman: the obvious player to look for is striker Nicky Maynard after he was linked to the Vale in the summer. Will the veteran make Vale pay on Saturday? It’s been a quiet start to the season for the former Crewe man with three League goals from nine starts and seven sub appearances.
Others:
Midfielder George Lapslie (on loan from Charlton Athletic) is the club’s leading League scorer with four goals.
Jordan Bowery will be well-known to Vale fans. He has three goals from fourteen League starts.
Defender Farrend Rawson has been a near ever-present with nineteen League appearances.
Opposition manager:
54 year-old Nigel Clough has continued his tour of the East Midlands after being appointed Mansfield Town manager in November. Clough played for Nottingham Forest and has managed Derby County and Burton Albion. His Mansfield record stands at twelve games with a 50% win ratio. Overall, Clough is closing on 600 games as a manager.
Image: “P1010523” by Matlock-Photo is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Pre-match quote
We travel to Mansfield in the hope of earning something positive again…
Skipper Leon Legge previews the game
Connections:
There are no current players to have appeared for both clubs. However, the most recent was midfielder Will Atkinson who appeared for Vale last season. The veteran has actually had two spells at both clubs during his long career.
Played for both:
Other players who featured for both sides are:
Central defender Richie Sutton
Versatile midfielder Colin Daniel (pictured above)
Troubled midfielder Gary Roberts
And looking further back… central defender Gary Pollard
Last time we met:
Despite the truncated season, the two sides met three times in 2019-20 – twice in the League and once in the Football League Trophy. The last meeting was at Field Mill in the League where it finished 2-2 with Vale’s goals coming from defenders Nathan Smith and Leon Legge (pictured). The clash at Vale Park also ended 2-2 as did the Trophy game. The Valiants’ last win at Field Mill came back in 2003 when veteran John Durnin scored the winner in a 1-0 victory.
The stats:
Overall record: 22 Port Vale wins | 16 Port Vale losses | 16 draws
From the archives…
The Valiants recorded a 3-1 away win back in February 1982 thanks to goals from Mark Chamberlain, Ernie Moss and loanee Tony Sealy (pictured). It was the first of a prolific spell for QPR striker Sealy who would net four goals in six games for the club that season.
How to watch:
Finally, let’s deal with watching this behind closed doors game. It will be available to watch on the iFollow service. Here’s how to watch it…
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- If you don’t have an existing iFollow account sign up here
- If you have an existing iFollow account sign in here
- When signed in go to this page, select Video packages, select the relevant game and pay
- On matchday, go to this page and there will be an option at the bottom to watch live video
FAQs
Q: Do I have to set up the account/buy the pass on the day of the match?
A: No, you can set up your iFollow account and/or buy your match pass in advance if it is easier. All you need to do then is log onto iFollow on the day of the match go to this page and there will be an option at the bottom to watch live video.
Q: Can I watch it down the pub?
A: No, it’s illegal to show iFollow streams in public so they would be breaking the law. The service is for private use only.
Q: Can I watch it on the TV screen?
A: The iFollow service is available via an app or a browser. Probably the simplest way to watch it on the TV screen is to watch the stream on a browser and connect your computer to your TV via a HDMI lead. The video and audio should then show on your screen.
Q: What about the programme?
A: Ahead of the game Port Vale will also be sending all season ticket holders a link to a complimentary digital copy of our new-look matchday programme! If you do not receive your digital copy by 1pm on Saturday, then please contact us on the numbers provided above. Additionally, if you wish to collect a physical copy of the programme ahead of kick off – please contact the club shop.
Q: What commentary will be provided?
A: Usually commentary from both teams (home and away) is provided. In Vale’s case it is usually the BBC Radio Stoke commentary team. When the match starts, click on the cog on the bottom RH corner to select home or away commentary.
Q: Does Port Vale make money from iFollow?
A: Yes and in these days of behind closed door matches, the revenue from iFollow can be vital. Clubs like Vale earn around 80% of the cost of an iFollow ticket regardless of whether the game is played home or away.
Q: What about if I still have an issue?
A: If you are experiencing problems with iFollow should contact EFL iFollow by telephone – 0207 8264577 (three hours before kick-off and running until three hours after matches finish) or by email – [email protected] (staffed from 8am to 7pm every day).
Need more information? We have a dedicated forum thread with help and advice right here. There’s also a guide on setting up an iFollow account while here is a guide for season ticket holders redeeming a code