Port Vale v Bristol Rovers preview – another chance for Vale to inch closer to safety
Andy Crosby takes charge of his first home game this season with the Valiants desperate to pick up some points.
Predict the score
Preamble
It was, to coin a phrase, a Valiant performance at Portman Road on Tuesday but despite all Vale’s efforts they still came away with no points. With a tough end to the season fixture list, the Vale need to take every chance they can – and a home fixture against a fellow promoted side may represent their best chance of doing so.
Pre-match comments
The task in hand is to make sure we preserve League One status. We’ve now got a three-game mini-league, everything we can control individually and collectively, we have to do – our destiny is in our hands.
Port Vale interim manager Andy Crosby
I’d play tomorrow, I’d play again tonight, I just want to keep going now and I don’t want the season to end.
Port Vale debutant James Plant
We know that it is coming towards the end of the season and we need to produce points,” Smith said. “We’ve got three games left and the concentration is on the next one. We know the importance of getting the points as early as possible to ease the pressure towards the end of the season and hopefully we can end on a little bit of a high, after a dip that we’ve had since probably New Year now.
Port Vale defender Nathan Smith
Andy Crosby’s in charge now. Darrell has left his position there. They had a tough game against Ipswich and took the lead. Unfortunately for them, they never managed to capitalise and get maximum points. I expect it to be slightly different because they’re at home and not playing top-of-the-table away. I expect them to have a bit more attacking ambition. It’ll be a tough fixture, we’ll have to be at our best to take maximum points.
Bristol Rovers manager Joey Barton
Port Vale team news
Key defensive midfielder Tom Pett missed the Ipswich game through injury but will he be fit to make this crucial fixture? Vale will at least be boosted by the performance of teenage debutant James Plant in midfield at Ipswich while Funso Ojo is available again after suspension. Dan Jones, Ben Garrity and Lewis Cass all look set to remain on the sidelines through injury.
Opposition team news
Bristol Rovers made three changes for their last game bringing in Ryan Loft, Josh Coburn and loan defender Jarell Quansah. Coburn caused Vale’s defence no end of problems in the fixture in Bristol earlier this season. Former Valiant James Gibbons was on the bench in their last game.
Form guide
Visitors Bristol Rovers are in good away form having won their last three League One trips to Fleetwood, Forest Green Rovers and Oxford United.
Port Vale: L-L-L-D-L
Ipswich: L-D-W-W-L
Man in charge
Like him or loathe him, it’s fair to say Joey Barton has done well in his time at Rovers. After guiding the club to a dramatic promotion last season, Rovers have pretty much secured League One safety.
Familiar faces
Defender James Gibbons will be making his first return to Burslem since his controversial departure in the summer. He’s not been in the Rovers starting eleven in recent games after serving a suspension but he has made thirty appearances for Rovers this campaign. There will also be a match-up for Vale striker Ellis Harrison against his former club. The former Rovers forward is Vale’s top-scorer this season.
Through the years…
The two sides first met in 1938 when it finished in a 1-0 away victory for the Valiants. The last game at Vale Park saw the Valiants lost 3-1 in front of a bumper crowd towards the end of last season. Jamie Proctor scored the Vale goal.
Last time we met…
Vale suffered a narrow 1-0 away defeat at the Memorial Ground earlier this season. Although Rovers probably deserved the win, the winning strike was mired in controversy
Overall record
28 Port Vale wins
19 draws
23 Port Vale losses
From the archives
Courtesy of our YouTube channel, here’s a dramatic play-off victory for the Valiants:
A brief history of…
The club was founded in 1883 as Black Arabs FC and entered the Bristol & District League as Eastville Rovers in 1892. The club changed its name to Bristol Rovers in 1899. They were admitted to the Football League in 1920. They have won the Watney Cup in 1972, and have been Football League Trophy finalists two times.
Were you paying attention?
Our traditional quiz…
- Who is the current Rovers manager?
- What was the score the last time the two teams met?
- In which year were the club formed?
- Which former Vale defender is in the Rovers squad?
Answers below (no cheating)…
Quiz answers…
- Joey Barton
- Bristol Rovers 1-0 Port Vale
- 1883
- James Gibbons