Port Vale v Crewe Alex (EFL Cup) preview – first tie of the cup doubleheader
Port Vale take on near neighbours Crewe in the first of two cup ties against the Alex. How will the in-form Valiants fare?
Venue: Vale Park stadium | Date: 29th August 2023, 7.45pm | Competition: Football League Cup
Predict the score
Preamble
This tie takes place before the two sides meet again in the Football League Trophy group stages. Vale’s form on the pitch has been overshadowed somewhat by what sounds to be a serious condition for defender Dan Jones and we send him our best wishes. With the transfer window due to close there’s also some speculation over the Vale future of striker Ellis Harrison who hasn’t been involved in recent matches.
Port Vale team news
With this being a cup game, there’s likely to be some changes from the side that played on Saturday. Vale are unlikely to risk James Wilson with two starts in four days so Josh Thomas could start upfront. Ben Garrity could return to the midfield while Spurs loanee Alfie Devine could also come into contention. Conor Grant is likely to miss out as does loanee Kofi Balmer.
Vale’s one to watch…
It’s a tricky one to call if Vale make changes so let’s give a shout-out to keeper Connor Ripley who has been quietly solid at the back as well as pulling off some spectacular saves. Vale didn’t rest Ripley in the previous round so he’s likely to start this one.
Opposition team news
Our visitors sit in 14th place in League Two and reached this stage after a first round upset of Sunderland with Crewe winning on penalties. Summer signing, defender Mickey Demetriou is the club’s top-scorer this season with three goals. Demetriou is one of a number of summer additions with others including midfielder Jack Powell, striker Shilow Tracey and defender Ryan Cooney.
Crewe’s one to watch…
28 year-old forward Chris Long is a dangerous presence upfront. Signed in the summer of 2021 he has made 48 appearances and scored 14 goals.
Man in charge
40 year-old former player Lee Bell was promoted to first-team manager after Alex Morris stepped down. Appointed in November 2022 he has been in charge for 37 games with a 32 win ratio.
Familiar faces
Former Crewe loanee Conor Grant is unlikely to play in this game due to a back problem. Grant spent a spell on loan with Crewe in 2017 and moved to the Valiants this summer on a free transfer.
Other players in recent years to play for both include Brad Walker, AJ Leitch-Smith and Uche Ikpeazu.
Through the years…
The two sides first met way back in 1892 when the first game between the two ended in a comprehensive 4-1 win for Vale. However, Crewe turned it around winning the return fixture 5-0. Vale have won the last two fixtures between the sides with Crewe’s last win in Burslem coming in 2017. Vale’s best win in the League Cup was a 5-1 win in 1996 when Lee Mills, Martin Foyle, Tony Naylor, Ian Bogie and Jon McCarthy all scored.
Last time we met…
The sides last met in November 2019 when midfielder Jake Taylor scored the winner for Vale in a 1-0 away victory during the truncated 2019-20 League season. Due to the season finishing early the game at Vale Park never took place!
Overall record
38 Port Vale wins | 23 draws | 20 Port Vale losses
From the archive
We thought it may be worth revisiting this article from our archives:
Five of the best Port Vale signings from Crewe Alex
Port Vale signings from Crewe Alex: it’s a controversial move at the best of times, but here are five transfers from our near neighbours which have most benefitted the Valiants.
A brief history of…
Formed in 1877, Crewe joined the Football League Second Division in 1892. The club had to wait till 1963 for their first promotion. The club’s greatest period of success came under Dario Gradi, responsible for discovering the likes of David Platt, Danny Murphy and Rob Jones, and who managed the side for well over a thousand games.
Our traditional quiz…
- Who is the current Crewe manager?
- What was the score the last time the two teams met?
- In which year were the club formed?
- Who was the last Vale scorer against Crewe?
Answers below (no cheating)…
Join the debate
Our forum is the place to be to discuss the game. Join the debate before, during and after kick-off and share your thoughts with fellow Vale fans. Just click on the link below:
Quiz answers
- Lee Bell
- Crewe Alex 0-1 Port Vale
- 1877
- Jake Taylor