Cambridge Utd 1-1 Port Vale – Garrity and Ripley earn Valiants a point

Ben Garrity’s fourth goal in four games and Connor Ripley’s late penalty save earned the Valiants a point on Saturday afternoon.

Manager Andy Crosby brought back Mitch Clarke, James Plant and Ethan Chislett into his starting line-up and the latter was responsible for the first chance. Good work from James Plant saw him find Chislett in the box but he shot wide.

Following a period of Cambridge pressure, Vale came back into the game and took the lead on twenty minutes. Good work by Nathan Smith and Ethan Chislett set up Garrity to find the target.

It could have been two on the half-hour mark as Wilson chased down the keeper but the deflection went wide.

In the second period, good play by Sang and Arblaster fed Lewis Cass but his driven pass across the box wasn’t converted.

Vale paid for those missed chances as the home side came back into the game on the hour mark. Firstly, Andrew hit the base of the post but two minutes later Okenabirie did better as he nodded home a cross.

Another sloppy Cambridge backpass saw sub Gavin Massey given a chance but his one-one shot was saved. Then there was drama in the closing minutes as Nathan Smith fouled in the box and Cambridge were given a penalty. However, Connor Ripley was once again to the rescue as he saved lowdown.

Despite seven minutes of over-time, it finished in an honourable draw.

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Match stats

Date: 23rd September 2023

Venue: Abbey stadium

Competition: League One

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Port Vale

Team: Ripley, Balmer (Cass), Smith, Iacovitti, Clark (Sang), Ojo, Arblaster, Plant (Grant), Chislett (Devine), Garrity, Wilson (Massey)

Subs not used:  Leutwiler, Lowe

Bookings: Iacovitti, Balmer, Wilson, Garrity

Goal: Garrity (20)

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