All-action Ojo was my stand-out player – five thoughts after Port Vale’s draw with Bolton
Rob Fielding reflects on Port Vale’s goalless draw with Bolton with some praise for Funso Ojo, Tom Conlon and Ben Garrity.
Rob Fielding writes…
All-action Ojo was my stand-out player
It was a good performance by the entire Vale team with arguably only the lack of a clinical finish preventing the side from taking all three points. However, among the good performances, I thought there was one stand-out performance and that was from midfielder Funso Ojo.
The summer signing has slipped effortlessly into the Vale midfield and looks to be one of the first names on the teamsheet. His game – full of running, challenges, sensible passes and intelligent positioning makes him a perfect signing for Vale’s return to League One. He was everywhere on Saturday and although Mal Benning also impressed, it was Ojo who I felt was the man of the match.
Santos’ red card has echoes of Hawkins’ red at Wembley
It’s perhaps understandable that Bolton would attack the sending-off of their captain but it can be argued that if you’re already on a yellow then you are only one mistake away from a dismissal. Like Ollie Hawkins at Wembley, Santos tangled with Nathan Smith to pick up a first yellow and you could then argue the player has only himself to blame if he puts himself into a position where the ref has to take a decision on a second card.
Perhaps, rather than complaining, Bolton boss Ian Evatt should have observed the actions of his opposite number, Darrell Clarke? Clarke, observing that debutant Will Forrester was on a yellow, sensibly withdrew the player to prevent any possibility of a second booking and dismissal.
Stevens for Stone looks a sensible move
I was impressed that Darrell Clarke took time to explain that he’d spoken to Aidan Stone before dropping him in favour of new loan signing Jack Stevens. It shows good man-management skills. Clarke said “We have put Aidan on a couple of years’ contract to try to get him to be a top half of League One goalie. I said to him yesterday I think he is falling short of that at the minute but we have a great goalie coach in Carlo Nash who will be working away with him to try to reach those heights.”
I think that makes perfect sense and judging on Saturday’s performance, Stevens is currently a step above Stone. In a tight game, a keeper of Stevens’ class, who is able to pull off some game-changing saves, could be a key asset during the season.
Captain Conlon making good progress
It was great to see Tom Conlon back in the Port Vale starting eleven. The skipper is clearly still building up his match fitness and Vale are being cautious in taking him off after an hour, but even when not quite at top form, Conlon’s cultured left foot was prominent in the early stages of the game.
If the Valiants continue to ease him back and the fans are not too impatient with the player then Conlon could be another key player for the club in League One.
Garrity shows Vale (and potential suitors) his worth
It took new signing Ellis Harrison until the second-half to become a constant goal threat and so in the first-half it was tireless midfielder Ben Garrity who looked the most likely to find the target for the home side.
Garrity is apparently being tracked by Peterborough United and on this performance that’s no surprise. He was full of running as well as coming close to finding the target on a number of occasions. A goalscoring midfielder is a great option for a club to have and if Posh do want to buy him, they’ve probably seen the price tag go even higher after his performance on Saturday.
More from the 2022-23 season
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