Port Vale 0-1 Portsmouth match report – physical Pompey outfox below par Valiants
Port Vale 0-1 Portsmouth: a solitary strike by Dane Scarlett was enough to see visitors Portsmouth take home all three points at Vale Park.
Port Vale manager Darrell Clarke made one change from the side which defeated Burton Albion with Brad Walker dropping into defence to replace Lewis Cass and Funso Ojo coming into the starting eleven.
The match began after a poignant memorial service to remember all those who had passed away in the last 12 months.
It was a controversial opening 45 minutes with some robust play from the visitors and Dane Scarlett earning the ire of the crowd for two full blooded challenges on Vale keeper Jack Stevens. However, it was the Tottenham loanee who proved to be the difference as he latched on to a through ball on 24 minutes and found the net for his first senior goal.
Too many Vale balls were going astray and with a resilient Pompey side often given the benefit of the doubt by the officials, clear-cut chances for the home side proved to be few and far between. Connor Hall headed over and there were several claims for a rare Vale penalty only for the referee to turn them down.
To give credit to the visitors, they had closed down the Vale midfield and flanks expertly during the first-half with the Valiants playmakers hardly given a second breathing space as another large Vale Park crowd were mostly frustrated at the break.
Half-time: Port Vale 0-1 Portsmouth
The Valiants started the second period at a high tempo and initially did cause the Pompey backline some problems early on. However, the visitors came back to dominate possession and maintain a midfield stranglehold.
Vale made three substitutions and their lack of forward options were starkly shown by wingback Thierry Small being asked to partner Harrison upfront. However, those changes were to no avail as too many Port Vale passes went astray and chances were few and far between.
Pompey could have killed the game off when Jacobs went on a mazy run in the box but his effort was cleared off the line by Walker. There were late chances for the home side for Harrison and Ojo but the visitors comfortably saw out the game to take all three points home.
It was a sobering result for the Valiants. There is no need to panic as Portsmouth are clearly going to be one of the division’s top sides. Vale’s hopes were not helped by some baffling referee decisions but it was also the lack of forward options that was clear to see. The addition of West Ham loanee Mipo Odubeko will help as will the return of injured duo Proctor and Wilson but the Vale still clearly need another forward addition before the transfer window ends.
Full-time: Port Vale 0-1 Portsmouth
Match stats
Port Vale side: Stevens – Smith, Walker, Hall (Jones) – Worrall (Massey), Ojo, Pett (Small), Conlon, Benning (Hussey) – Garrity – Harrison
Subs – Stone, Charsley, Forrester
Vale bookings: Ojo
Vale goals: none
Attendance: 8,878