Shrewsbury Town 0-4 Port Vale report – Politic’s hat-trick in an hour the highlight of Trophy win

Shrewsbury Town 0-4 Port Vale – Dennis Politic scored three times in an hour while Brad Walker hit a tremendous fourth as the Valiants cruised past Shrewsbury in the Football League Trophy group stages.

Manager Darrell Clarke made multiple changes including a first start for loanee Liam McCarron and a first start of the season for the returning Politic.

Vale had the better of the opening stages with some crisp passes setting Thierry Small up for an early chance. Politic had a deflected effort which beat goalkeeper Burgoyne for the forward’s first goal since his return to Burslem.

It was an excellent first-half display by the Valiants who restricted the home side to a solitary effort from Bowman which went well over. Vale could have more than their one goal advantage with Tommy McDermott and McCarron both spurning chances.

Half-time: Shrewsbury Town 0-1 Port Vale

However, there were to be few missed chances in the second period as the Valiants put the home side to the sword. There were calls for a penalty when McDermott went down in the box. However, Vale made the game safe with two Politic goals in two minutes. Great work from McDermott saw Thierry Small go close before Connor Hall surged down the left, David Worall headed down and Politic made it 2-0 on 55 minutes. Two minutes later, Politic got his deserved hat-trick with a good close range effort from a Vale corner.

The game was now safe but there was still time for the goal of the game. David Worrall’s free-kick was played to Brad Walker whose powerful long-range effort gave Burguyne no chance. Shrewsbury were restricted to another Bowman effort which went over and another drive easily saved by Stone.

There was still time for Vale to bring on James Plant and fifteen year-old Jack Shorrock, who became the club’s youngest-ever player in the process, making it three players from the academy on the pitch at the end. The luckless Small nearly made it five in the closing minutes but Vale had to settle for four away goals as they progressed to the next stage of the Football League Trophy competition with ease.

This was a near perfect performance by the Vale side. There were matchday minutes for the likes of Politic, captain Tom Conlon and Brad Walker. There was a commanding performance at the back from Will Forrester against veteran Bowman, there was virtually nothing for Aidan Stone to do in goal while the youngsters such as the energetic Robinson and talented McDermott also impressed. These performances will no doubt give Clarke a welcome selection headache for the next League game against Peterborough with Politic and Walker, in particular, pushing their claims.

Full-time: Shrewsbury Town 0-4 Port Vale