Goals from Rico Richards, Ryan Croasdale and Ronan Curtis saw the Valiants past away specialists Fleetwood on Saturday afternoon. The win saw Vale stay top of the League Two table.
Team news
Team newsManager Darren Moore handed a first League start to loanee Rico Richards while Ethan Chislett and Tom Sang came into the starting eleven. Loanee Benicio returned to the squad with a place on the bench alongside Lorent Tolaj and Ronan Curtis.
First-half
An entertaining first forty five minutes ended all-square after loanee Rico Richards scored his first goal for the club.
The Aston Villa loanee was prominent as Vale dominated early on. Richards robbed a defender on eight minutes and set up Ethan Chislett whose effort hit the bar. Vale then rattled the woodwork for a second time five minutes later when Richards’ cross was met by defender Bennett.
The Valiants were dominating play and Jayden Stockley went close with an effort on 15 minutes. Vale had to wait another seventeen minutes before taking the lead. The impressive Brandon Cover robbed a defender and fed Jayden Stockley. The targetman laid it off for Richards to blast the ball home from inside the box.
However, Vale had only just celebrated that goal when the visitors equalised somewhat out of the blue. Patterson crossed a deep ball and Johnston was left unmarked in the box. He did excellently to meet the ball on the volley giving Ripley no chance.
Vale did have another opportunity before the break. Richards fed the ball through to Ethan Chislett who found the net but it was ruled out for offside. At the break it was all-square will all to play for.
Half-time: Port Vale 1-1 Fleetwood
Second-half
Darren Moore’s second-half subs saw the Vale end with a win with Benicio setting up Vale’s second and Ronan Curtis scoring the third.
The second forty five minutes began as a more evenly matched affair with the visitors more involved in terms of possession and chances. Fleetwood could have taken the lead on the hour mark as they created two excellent chances. Firstly, Coughlan broke clear only for Connor Ripley to pull off an excellent one-on-one save. The same player was found unmarked in the box moments later but his weak effort was easily saved.
Those chances saw Darren Moore make changes with Benicio and Ronan Curtis introduced. Both made an immediate impression. Benicio slipped past his man on 66 minutes and set up Ryan Croasdale, who had made an excellent run, to finish. Benicio was causing havoc with another cross just evading Stockley.
Vale made the game safe on 72 minutes when Ronan Curtis headed home from Ben Garrity’s cross. The 3-1 scoreline saw Vale comfortably in charge of the closing eighteen minutes and the game ended somewhat sedately despite six minutes of added time.
It was another excellent result as Vale’s unbeaten run continues.
Full-time: Port Vale 3-1 Fleetwood
Attendance: 6,643 (191 visitors)
Final thoughts
Match: So, Port Vale’s excellent run continues and in some respects that was due to Vale’s squad depth. Darren Moore has been at pains to point out that he wanted options up front this season and this game showed why. After Rico Richards’ excellent first-half display he started to fade in the second-half while Jack Shorrock wasn’t being supported by Ethan Chislett on the left.
Moore’s subs solved both issues. Benicio came on and provided the talent Richards had shown in the first-half to help set up two goals. Meanwhile, the vibrant Ronan Curtis not only provided an attacking threat but gave cover to Shorrock. There was much to admire from the Vale performance on a bright afternoon in Burslem.
Players: This was another excellent all-round performance from Connor Ripley at the back to Jayden Stockley up-top. The two loanees took the eye – Richards in the first-half and Benicio in the second-half. Fellow sub Ronan Curtis also had an impact while both wingbacks – Cover and Shorrock – impressed.
The much maligned Tom Sang had an excellent game in the back three while Ryan Croasdale showed there is more to his game than just winning the ball. It’s difficult to pick a player of the match and it was a close run thing but our vote goes to…
Our Star man pick: Ryan Croasdale
Port Vale line-up and stats
Starting XI: Ripley – Sang, Debrah, Hall – Cover, Garrity, Croasdale (Lowe), Shorrock – Richards (Curtis), Stockley (Hackford), Chislett (Benicio)
Subs: Amos, Tolaj, Heneghan
Bookings: none
Goals: Richards (33), Croasdale (67), Curtis (73)
This component may not immediately update after the match has finished
What did you think of the match? Share your thoughts and post a comment below.
Richards played supreb.
Needs to start every week, changed the game.
Well earned 3 points. Thought Brandon cover was excellent again. Benicio having been out for a few games showed lots of class. Darren as at last worked out the correct time for his substitutions and give him his dues . Final Thought nice reception from the Hamil end to kian harratt when he came on. On to Tuesday here we go. UTV
Best performance at home this season everybody was superb full of confidence make no mistake this was against a top league two team keep it up
Good 3 points and good all round performance.
Great win for the lads,Shorrock my man of the match followed closely by Richard’s,Debrah has come on leaps and bounds, i liked the way the Vale players kept thrir cool even when Fleetwood tried to be Aggressive, there really was some Class from Vale today,I dont know what going on with Garrity, he seems to be off his game just lately.
It was a good well Deserved win, but we do rid our luck. Vale Could Easily have gone In at half time With a healthy lead with a bit of luck and better defending. Weather its playing 3 at the back that seems to leave us wide open at the back post (as for fleetwoods goal) im not sure, but it is a problem. I did find it frustrating, defenders (hall especially) constantly playing 30-40yard balls back to ripley, he was having more of the ball than anyone else on the pitch. Vale could have been 3-1 down before we scored our second, which is why im saying we are riding our luck. When Playing a back 3 with no covering pace it does leave us easy to get at, and make some games a lottery, but fortunately results are going in our favour more often than not. While Garrity is getting a few negative comments people should understand the lads is giving up his own game up for the benefit of the team. Vale are where vale should be having spent the money they have spent, so i do not hold with this, Mr Moore has suddenly turned into some Brilliant manager. He’s got the best and most expensive squad in the league and theres no excuse for not delivering.