Forest Green Rovers 1-3 Port Vale report – Cass injury overshadows stirring Vale comeback

Port Vale left it late to comeback from a goal behind to start 2023 with a win but the game was overshadowed by what looked like a serious injury to sub Lewis Cass.

Darrell Clarke brought in Rory Holden and Dan Butterworth into his starting eleven but James Wilson wasn’t in the squad. However, Vale had a dreadful start as they conceded in the first minute. Poor defending saw Vale fail to clear the ball from their box and McAllister found the back of the net.

The Vale first-half performance didn’t get any better and the home side could have been ahead by more – something they would rue on the final whistle. The Valiants were defending awfully with errors from both Hall and Forrester. Stevenson shot high and wide when clear in the box while another effort was blocked by what looked like a Vale hand but no spot-kick was given.

There was little of note from Vale in an attacking sense. Tom Pett had a long-range effort that nearly deceived the goalkeeper while Butterworth had a couple of efforts but this was a terrible opening forty five from Vale who were second-best throughout and unlucky to be only 1-0 down.

Half-time: Forest Green Rovers 1-0 Port Vale

The Valiants started the second-half in a much better fashion and soon looked like a different team. Mal Benning was marauding on the left flank while Rory Holden strung together some nice passes. However, for all their attacking play, Vale could not fashion an equaliser. One ball just evaded Benning who was feet away from the goal while Garrity skewed another attempt wide.

However, there was a lengthy delay when Lewis Cass went down, felled by a collision with Nathan Smith and had to be stretchered off. Our thoughts are with the Vale defender and we hope for a speedy recovery.

Despite the long delay, Vale continued to push and were finally rewarded on 86 minutes when Smith surged forward, the cross was headed on by Ellis Harrison and unmarked sub Mipo Odubeko scored for the second game against Forest Green.

It got better for Vale as the game went into additional minutes added on for the Cass injury. Tom Pett, of all people, surged into the box and was felled for a penalty. Ellis Harrison made no mistake from the spot-kick to put Vale in front.

The Valiants sealed it when Dennis Politic tried a pot shot from the left flank which beat the Rovers keeper at his near post. It sealed a dramatic late comeback from the Vale and a welcome three points, although everyone’s thoughts will not be on the win but the health of Lewis Cass. We hope to see him in a Vale shirt soon!

Full-time: Forest Green Rovers 1-3 Port Vale