Port Vale 0-3 Mansfield Town: Port Vale’s 2020-21 season ended on a disappointing note as a poor performance saw them lose at home to Mansfield Town.
Vale fans what did you make of the performance? Share your thoughts and post a comment at the end of the article.
Manager Darrell Clarke rang the changes with five players brought in but Vale got off to an insipid first-half display which could have resulted in conceding more than the two goals that were scored.
Nine minutes into the game. McLaughlin gave the away side the lead with a low drive from the left-hand side. That goal promoted a host of chances with Clarke shooting just over, Jordan Bowery heading wide, Bowery missing another chance when Mustapha Olagunju slipped and having a third chance denied from a good save from Brown.
Vale’s defence looked all at sea with the unfortunate loanee Olagunju not having the best of games. However, it was defensive partner Shaun Brisley who gifted the opponents the second goal when his pass was intercepted. Mansfield broke and Quinn scored from close range.
Vale did come back into the game in the closing stages. Harry McKirdy’s effort was cleared off the line and Devante Rodney’s follow-up was blocked. However, it was Alex Hurst who came closest to an opener with his fine drive striking the bar.
It was a poor first-half display from Vale with several anonymous performances. Tom Pope was sadly largely ineffective upfront as was Scott Burgess in midfield, Harry McKirdy went to ground too quickly and Olagunju looked nervy at the back.
The Valiants reverted to a far more attacking formation in the second-half but still largely to no avail. The lively Hurst saw a shot saved and Tom Conlon’s follow-up was blocked but the visitors then got back into the game. Sinclair found the side netting before a low free-kick by McLaughlin beat Brown when the keeper should have done better.
However, Brown made an amends with a string of fine saves in the closing stages as he looked to keep the score down. Shots from Reid and Law were both saved but he could do nothing about another free-kick which hit the post and somehow didn’t go in. So, in many ways, it could have been an even more embarrassing scoreline for the Vale.
Darrell Clarke’s mind may already be made up on his retained list but this performance is likely to have helped him with some of his choices as his squad players largely failed to rise to the challenge. This match may also have been the final appearance for talisman Tom Pope who over the years has been a fantastic club servant for the Valiants.
Full-time: Port Vale 0-3 Mansfield Town
Vale fans what did you make of the performance? Share your thoughts and post a comment at the end of the article.
Port Vale: Brown – Smith, Olagunju (Whitehead), Brisley – Hurst (Worrall), Conlon, Joyce (Robinson), Burgess, McKirdy (Swan) – Rodney, Pope (Amoo)
Subs: Scott, Guthrie
I am absolutely lost for words. That was a terrible performance and you can only be glad that it was the last match of the season, and had no bearing on the relegation situation.
I would imagine that Darrell Clarke has removed some of the players he had on his retained list. Will be interesting to see the list next Tuesday.
Some people will say that the result was not important but that is not the attitude that a good squad should adopt especially when you think that some players should have gone out to have a performance that would impress the manager and persuade him to keep them at Vale.