Port Vale 3-0 Colchester Utd – early goals set up another home victory
Port Vale 3-0 Colchester Utd: early goals by James Gibbons and James Wilson helped set up a comfortable Port Vale win over Colchester United on Saturday afternoon.
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The Valiants were in control throughout the match and arguably could have added more than Aaron Martin’s second-half strike to their tally.
Manager Darrell Clarke reverted to a back four and brought in Dennis Politic for his first start in a Vale shirt.
The Vale started well with Tom Conlon’s ball sending Gibbons free and the full-back fired the ball home past the keeper to give Vale the lead on six minutes.
Politic then made an impact on his full debut as he expertly set up Wilson for Vale’s second on ten minutes with the forward scoring his third of the season.
Colchester had a couple of chances for Sears and Hannant but Lucas Covolan was equal to them in the Vale goal. Meanwhile, captain Tom Conlon went close to making it three for Vale at the break.
Half-time: Port Vale 2-0 Colchester Utd
The Valiants started the second-half at a slower tempo allowing the visitors back into the game. It prompted Darrell Clarke to revert to a back three and introduce Aaron Martin as a sub. However, Martin also had an impact at the other end as he made it three for Vale on 63 minutes from a corner and thanks to some poor Colchester defending.
The Vale could and perhaps should have had more with the best chance falling to fellow sub David Amoo in the closing seconds but nevertheless a fifth straight home win and another clean sheet represents an excellent day’s work. James Gibbons was deservedly the man of the match but the rest of the Vale side also put in good performances. It takes Vale up to second place in the League Two table.
Full-time: Port Vale 3-0 Colchester Utd
Match stats:
Port Vale: Covolan; Cass, Smith, Jones, Gibbons; Pett, Conlon, Worrall (Martin), Politic (Taylor), Wilson, Rodney (Amoo)
Subs: Stone, Walker, Benning, Lloyd