Port Vale v Mansfield Town preview
Port Vale v Mansfield Town preview: it’s the final game of a very odd season – will Port Vale end it on a high?
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DISCUSS THIS GAME ON THE DEDICATED FORUM THREADMatch details:
Teams: Port Vale v Mansfield Town
Competition: League Two
Venue: Vale Park Stadium
Kick-off: Saturday 8th May, 3pm
Form guide:
The Valiants will be keen to overcome the ‘blip’ at Grimsby and make it a good end to the season. Avoiding defeat will mean the club has been unbeaten in ten of the last eleven fixtures. Opponents Mansfield have had a strong end to the season with three wins from four games. However, they have only won one of the last ten away from home.
Port Vale team news:
We know Cristian Montano is missing through suspension but could this be the end of his Port Vale spell? It depends on whether you believe the latest rumours. Otherwise, the composition of this final Vale starting eleven will be a guessing game with Darrell Clarke set to give members of his squad a try out. Those who will miss out include James Gibbons, Zak Mills and David Fitzpatrick, who are all injured. Striker Tom Pope is out of contract in the summer – could this game possibly be his last hurrah in a Vale shirt?
Possible Starting XI:
Brown – Smith, Legge, Brisley – Worrall, Joyce, Conlon, Burgess, Amoo – Swan, Rodney *
*We honestly don’t know so this could be wildly out!
Ones to watch:
This season’s player of the year vote will probably be a two horse race between David Worrall and Tom Conlon so it will be interesting to see if they both maintain their form for this final game of the season.
Opposition manager:
The vastly experienced Nigel Clough has now managed more than 600 games as he continues his tour of the East Midlands clubs. Clough has had spells at Burton Albion, Derby County, Sheffield Utd and now Mansfield, who he joined in November 2020. He has been in charge of Town for 38 games with a 39.5% win ratio.
Opposition team:
Jordan Bowery is the side’s top scorer in the League with ten goals. Midfielder George Lapsie has eight. The captain is defender Ollie Clarke. However, he could be missing alongside defensive partner Farrend Rawson who is also doubtful for this game.
It will be interesting to see if Mal Benning features, who has been linked with a possible switch to Vale Park.
Connections:
Well, there’s the Vale manager Darrell Clarke for a start, who had playing spells at both clubs. However, his spell at Mansfield was a mere 158 games longer than his solitary last-minute appearance for the Valiants.
Other players who have played for both clubs in recent years include defender Kyle Howkins, midfielder Will Atkinson, winger Colin Daniel, striker Tyler Walker and the much missed late defender Lee Collins.
Last time we met:
The Valiants were hammered 4-0 in the new year in a game which proved to be manager John Askey’s final game in charge. It was the Vale’s sixth game without a win as they conceded goals by Ollie Clarke and a Jordan Bowery hat-trick.
Despite the truncated season, the two sides managed to face each other three times last season – in the League and Football League Trophy. Each game ended in a 2-2 draw. The league fixture in Burslem saw Mark Cullen and Nathan Smith score; Rhys Browne and Jake Taylor scored in the Football League Trophy while Smith and Leon Legge scored in the away fixture.
Overall record – 22 Port Vale wins, 17 Port Vale losses and 16 draws.