Port Vale 1-0 Rochdale: late own-goal wins it at the death for Valiants
Port Vale 1-0 Rochdale: a late own-goal with almost the last kick of the game was decisive as Port Vale defeated Rochdale at a soggy Vale Park.
What did you think of the Port Vale performance? Share your thoughts, scroll down and post a comment at the end of the article.
Manager Darrell Clarke made a host of changes for this Football League Trophy group game including first starts for Danny Amos and George Lloyd. In a scrappy first-half played in windy and wet conditions, both sides had chances. Vale had an early penalty appeal turned down before the visitors hit the woodwork with their first attack.
There was a succession of half-chances for the Valiants after that. George Lloyd and debutant Amos had shots blocked while the busy Mal Benning had a header cleared off the line. However, it was a half of few genuine clearcut chances although Jake Taylor and George Lloyd had both impressed with their workrate.
The Valiants made chances at the break including the introduction of 17 year-old Ellis Jones. The teenager didn’t look out of place as he broke into the box on two occasions to have shots on goal.
The Valiants continued to create a host of chances but it started to look like the ball just wouldn’t go in the net. Debutant Amos saw a shot hit the woodwork while there were also chances for Johnson, Politic and Amoo. Mal Benning arguably had the best chance when he missed an open goal after good work by the energetic Politic.
The visitors also had chances, albeit mainly on the break with Done being blocked on a couple of occasions by good blocks by Johnson. The winner came right at the death when a ball by Cass was bundled in by by Max Taylor under pressure by Lloyd.
The game will have proved extremely useful for manager Darrell Clarke. Jake Taylor, David Amoo and Dennis Politic all completed ninety minutes while debutants Jones and Amos both did well in horrendous weather conditions. Alex Hurst also impressed with an industrious display. It means Vale are likely to progress to the knock-out stages should they dispatch Liverpool B in their final group game.
Full-time: Port Vale 1-0 Rochdale
What did you think of the Port Vale performance? Share your thoughts, scroll down and post a comment at the end of the article.
Match stats
Port Vale: Stone; Gibbons (Cass), Johnson, Amos; Hurst, Walker (Jones), Taylor, Benning; Politic, Lloyd, Amoo
Subs: Conlon, Smith, Covolan, Pett
Port Vale bookings: Taylor, Walker, Benning
Attendance: 1,727