Port Vale 0-1 Bolton Wanderers match report
Port Vale 0-1 Bolton Wanderers: the Valiants failed to win once again as they were beaten by a soft second-half Bolton goal on Saturday afternoon.
What did you think of the Port Vale performance? Share your thoughts and post a comment at the end of the article.
Manager Darrell Clarke made one change to the team which faced Oldham Athletic with Alex Hurst coming in for Kurtis Guthrie.
The Valiants had the first chance when the alert Worrall nearly took advantage of a Bolton lapse of concentration but the keeper was able to clear. However, it was the visitors who had the majority of possession in the early stages. Vale’s next chance was a weak shot by Rodney on 27 minutes.
Both sides also suffered early injury blows with captain Sarcevic exiting for Bolton and Theo Robinson replacing Will Swan. Scott Brown was called into action from a Bolton corner but the best chances fell in the closing stages of the first-half. Vale captain Tom Conlon’s fierce drive was deflected wide then sub Theo Robinson’s effort went close. It was goalless at the break.
The opening stages of the second-half were an even affair with both sides failing to create a clearcut chance until the hour mark when Bolton’s Jones was left unmarked in the box and his soft half volley beat Brown. It proved to be the defining moment of the game.
Vale countered with Robinson laying the ball off for Worrall but his effort was saved while Luke Joyce blazed his shot wide from a corner. However, the Valiants never really looked like drawing level despite manager Darrell Clarke using all three remaining subs.
Those changes meant Vale had to play out the closing minutes with ten men as left-back Adam Crookes pulled up and the visitors comfortably held on to record an away win. It was yet another disappointing result for the Valiants as they remain firmly in the League Two danger zone.
Full-time: Port Vale 0-1 Bolton Wanderers
What did you think of the Port Vale performance? Share your thoughts and post a comment at the end of the article.
Port Vale: Brown – Mills (sub Taylor 80), Legge, Smith, Crookes – Worrall, Joyce (sub Oyeleke 80), Conlon, Hurst (sub Amoo 68) – Rodney (sub Cullen 80), Swan (sub Robinson 31)
Unused subs: Scott, Brisley
Brian Emery
13th March 2021 @ 5:53 pm
Is Clarke on this planet, once again he has changed the team, and shock horror once again no goals. Is he so oblivious to the fact the players we have play better in a 4/3/3 formation or just too pigheaded to play it. Again no goals yet 2 goal scoring midfielders Taylor and Oyeleke left out. Mind you he did take Bristol Rovers down and will do the same with Vale unless stood down and the Director of football put in charge. If the owners cannot see this then non league football is coming to Burslem. As Burton have shown the right appointment can alter everything and this manager has shown us this only for the worse See e has tokd players not to comment , I wonder why, does he not want them to say he has no idea. Unfortunately that is obvious and owners must realise they have made a complete and utter mistake and rectify it before (and it may be too late already) we are a non league side. The owners are ew to football but a non league side with a c.e.o , director of football . manager and assistant manager woukd sed shock waves through the divisions. I know this is their first venture into football but their decision aking this season has been appalling. Pugh was terrible ad then waited to long to appoint a manager ad the person they did is worse tan Jim Gannon, questions need to be asked at the highest level. The manager is a loser ad that is what we have become, John Askey was unlucky with injuries to our better players but had he got Taylor and bought in players in January ,he would have kept us up easily. Clarke will not poor manager, poor appointment and poor outlook.
Bob Norbury
13th March 2021 @ 6:28 pm
I am so sad and speechless !
The Knapster
13th March 2021 @ 7:53 pm
If money was no object then abandon the plan and ring 999 and ask for Micky Adam’s to come back and get us out of this mess…just watched Grimsby who look more organised than us…oh to have mills, porter and bogie…no science behind finding hard working talented lower league players…this lot might be fitter and stronger but no talent…only Micky can save us now : (
Nigel Kelsall
13th March 2021 @ 8:07 pm
where is all the money coming from for everything this bloke wants. A training ground, assistant manager, director of football. I love Carol and Kevin for what they have done for Port Vale but I think they have been a bit naive if they thought they needed a director of football.. Maybe the job was not what Flitcroft wanted, well he certainly conned them into being made D.O F.
What has happened to John Rudge he would have been the first port of call for advice surely. Carol said they were lucky to get Clarke with his credentials, they aren’t really that impressive Salisbury City 2 promotions Bristol Rovers the same. They are doing OK without him.
This bloke is no better than either Jim Gannon or Lee Sinnott
and theirs only one way he’s taking us and that’s the national
league. And it won’t be easy to get back, there must be a dozen ex league clubs there now.
Would love to be proved wrong
Phil Yeomans
13th March 2021 @ 8:15 pm
I have looked at all the remaining fixtures and can’t see where a win is coming from let alone a goal. The two games against Barrow and Grimsby will be crucial as for the other games all we can do is hope for a nil nil. The so called forwards are embarrassing so why not pack the midfield with players who may pinch us a goal. I accept these are desperate measures but it’s currently not working and these are desperate times.
Keith Dawson
13th March 2021 @ 8:19 pm
Another Saturday, no goals and no points, have a look at Vale’s and Walsall’s stats, startlingly alike, question is are we any better off, should we have kept the faith with Askey or is our new management team going to lead us to the promised land. Another interesting question is who is influencing our owners? Let’s hope we can survive and rebuild for the future. Keep the faith !!!