Rochdale v Port Vale preview – can Valiants stretch their unbeaten run on Tuesday evening?
Rochdale v Port Vale preview: can the Valiants make it seven games unbeaten against the Dale? Who will prevail? Here’s our preview…
Match details
Details:
Rochdale v Port Vale
League Two
Spotland
Tuesday February 22nd, 2022, 7.45pm
Last time we met?
The Valiants have played Rochdale twice already this season. The Football League Trophy game ended in a last-gasp 1-0 win for the Valiants while the home League fixture ended in a disappointing 3-2 defeat
The Vale have to go all the way back to 1984 for their last League win at Spotland. Eammon O’Keefe and Ally Brown scored in a 2-1 win.
Overall record:
24 Vale wins, 23 draws and 12 defeats.
Valiants team news
We all wish Darrell Clarke all the very best as he takes bereavement leave. Clarke’s absent means that assistant Andy Crosby is set to continue in charge of the first-team.
Crosby’s main decisions would appear to be whether to hand James Gibbons and goalscorer Jamie Proctor starts. Both impressed after coming on as subs but after absences from injury would starts just 48 hours after the Tranmere game come too soon?
Captain Tom Conlon and fellow midfielder Jake Taylor remain sidelined but Vale’s injury list does appear to be much better than it was a few weeks ago.
Opposition team news
Paul Downing is likely to be missing for at least a couple more weeks after sustaining a groin injury while teammate Jimmy Keohane is recovering from a broken foot.
Man in charge: Robbie Stockdale
- Age: 42
- Games in charge: 37
- Win ratio: 27%
The former defender had several caretaker spells with Grimsby Town and Sunderland before being offered his first permanent role in June 2021.
Recent form…
Port Vale
The last-gasp draw against Tranmere Rovers means that the Valiants’ unbeaten run is now six games. Vale are unbeaten in their last three away games – against Orient, Carlisle and Tranmere.
Form (all competitions):
Top scorer (all competitions):
Wilson, Proctor (8)
The opposition
The win against strugglers Scunthorpe was Rochdale’s first in seven games. It’s three games since their last home victory
Form (all competitions) :
Top scorer (all competitions):
Kelly, Newby (5)
Current connection: David Flitcroft
Port Vale Director of Football David Flitcroft spent four years as a player at Rochdale making 188 appearances. Valiants manager Darrell Clarke also spent a spell on loan with Rochdale during the 2006-2007 season.
Otherwise, there’s no current players who have appeared for both clubs.
However, there have been several in recent years including full-back Scott Tanser, forward Calvin Andrew and striker Rekeil Pyke.
From the archives
This is the front cover of a matchday programme between Port Vale and Rochdale from the 1981-82 season.
It shows manager John McGrath presenting winger Mark Chamberlain with an award from Match Weekly magazine for player of the month.
The game itself finished in a 1-1 draw with Paul Bowles scoring for the Valiants. It was played in front of 2,774 fans.
Potted history
Rochdale were founded in 1907 and were invited into the Third Division North in 1921.
They reached the League Cup final in 1962 and won promotion from the Fourth Division in 1969.
More recently, Rochdale won promotion to League One in both 2010 and 2014.
Were you paying attention?
Here’s a quick quiz on the opponents:
- What was the score the last time the two sides met?
- Who is the current Rochdale manager?
- When were Rochdale formed?
- In what year did Rochdale reach the League Cup final?
Quiz answers (no cheating):
- Port Vale 1-0 Rochdale
- Robbie Stockdale
- 1907
- 1962