It’s just one win in seven for Darren Moore’s side after it finished goalless at Vale Park against struggling Carlisle United. Here’s our match report…
Team news
Manager Darren Moore brought Ruari Paton and Ethan Chislett into his starting line-up along with a recall for teenager Jack Shorrock. Loanee Rico Richards also started after an impressive display against Bromley. Diamond Edwards was named among the substitutes.
First-Half report
It was an uninspiring and hesitant performance from the Valiants in the first-half with visitors Carlisle having the best chances to score.
Vale were restricted to a couple of efforts. The best one came on thirteen minutes when Ruari Paton set up Ethan Chislett. He ran into the box but his drive was saved. There was another effort by Ryan Croasdale on 24 minutes when he ran from the centre circle and put a drive wide while Jayden Stockley’s header on 45 minutes found the roof of the net. However, that was all for an off-the-boil Vale side.
On the other hand, Carlisle had several decent opportunities to take the lead. The first came after just two minutes when Luke Armstrong found the net but it was disallowed for a foul. The striker also broke clear on 24 minutes but was halted for an offside decision. Team mate Jordan Jones also had two efforts while the visitors should also have scored after a scramble in the Vale box on 38 minutes.
United were the better team throughout the half. They effectively kept Port Vale’s attacks to a minimum and looked dangerous on the break. Vale supporters showed their dissatisfaction at the break with the team second-best and needing to put on a much improved display in the second-half.
Half-time: Port Vale 0-0 Carlisle Utd
Second-Half report
It was much the same fare in the second-half with Vale not really looking like scoring and eventually settling for a point.
Darren Moore rang the changes at half-time with Tolaj and Sang coming on for Richards and Cover. Vale started reasonably brightly with a Ryan Croasdale header saved on fifty minutes. Chislett then struck the woodwork from a corner as Vale had a period of pressure. There was another effort from Stockley which went just over after a good cross from Shorrock.
However, after that period of pressure the game drifted from Vale. Carlisle had another opportunity to take the lead when Armstrong turned Debrah but his shot was well saved from Ripley.
Despite five minutes of additional time, it meandered into a draw as Vale players left the pitch to a chorus of boos from unhappy supporters.
Full-time: Port Vale 0-0 Carlisle Utd
Reflections
This isn’t a game to remember for many Vale fans. It was a drab affair against a side struggling at the wrong end of the table and one which many would have fancied the Valiants to win. However, things are not clicking at Vale right now. It could be the constant rotation of the side, it could be morale and it could be too many players out of form but this was an unconvincing display. Credit to the match sponsors for being able to select a star player (Connor Hall, if you’re interested) because too many players were off the ball.
Must do better.
Player notes
Connor Ripley is exempt from criticism as he did little wrong. However, too many Vale players were off the boil in this game. Ruari Paton was a peripheral figure and it was perhaps a surprise that it was the tricky Rico Richards who was hooked at half-time rather than the Irishman. Jayden Stockley battled away but was starved of support while the central midfield lacked guile. Most of Vale’s better work came down the left flank with Chislett and Shorrock linked well in the early stages of the second-half. However, none of the subs could effect the game so it was no surprise it ended in a draw.
Stats
Starting XI: Ripley – Cover (Sang), Debrah, Hall, Shorrock – Chislett, Harper (Edwards), Croasdale, Richards (Tolaj) – Paton (Curtis), Stockley
Subs: Amos, Heneghan, Hackford
Goals: none
Bookings: Shorrock
Attendance: 6,920 (661 visitors)
Competition: League Two
This component may not immediately update after the match has finished
What did you think of the game and the performance? Scroll down and submit a comment.
The only good thing to say is we r in the top 3 , 4 Xmas
Keep hearing Moore has plenty of firepower at his disposal,who is that then. Port Vale 0, how many times. Four or five changes every game does not help. At this stage of the season the manager should know his best side and bar for injuries should stick to it. Seems they want a play off win again to bring in money. With this squad they should fly up.What on earth is happening.
Hi all you Moore supporters he’s got to go, in all my years , of supporting Vale,I’ve never seen such rubbish,Team changes again and they were poor,Shorrock had a mare, Hall was given man of the match, the goalkeeper kept them in the game again.We have one player missing Garrity and the team falls to pieces, Moore has now proved with his changes AGAIN, he has not got a clue what he is doing, neither does Carol,I can’t watch that drivel every week.We passed the ball to Carlisle more than their player did.All I want is to see Vale play as a team, if they loose that’s football this crap they play is not.
Utter rubbish. Mr Moore picks the team by using a tombola and if your number comes out you play. Best 2 players in first half Richards and Cover subbed off at half time. On a recent post about Mr Moores position, I think it was about 16 to 1 speaking in his favour with myself being the 1. Wondering what those people think now after another awful performance. Yes we are still 2nd but something needs to change. Hopefully my grammar is correct today.
Awful result how on earth can Stockley be on the scoresheet when the service tonhim is pathetic. When is the manager going to come clean over the Garritty situation. What is the injury and so long term or is a move in January on the cards, it would be useful if Carol came to the media and explained the situation.
I couldn’t go today due ta family bereavement but I am getting continuously disappointed in Moore and I don’t think he can turn it around and he is making us worse game by game third now and I don’t expect him to change; move him on
How many time the a vale pass the ball to them I think they should go Specsavers
Shorrock was booked in the first half
Inevitable selection changes but it seemed a decent enough starting eleven. Organization, team confidence, and match tactics continue to struggle. Rock solid Ripley and a strong defence is just about holding onto the promotion challenge, but deteriorating results have upset supporter belief in the team.
I never wanted Moore as I have said maybe I m proved right .seems he doesn’t know how pick team and if the strikers not scoring get rid
I do not believe these players want to play for the manager, it gets worse every week, I know they played Carlisle but the crowds are getting less,how does he expect a team to gell when he never plays, the same players two games in a row, I don’t know how the sponsors gave Hall man of the match, for most of the game he lost the player he was marking, the main striker Stockley had no feed at all.As for Shorrock the lad does not know if he is coming or going, because he never plays two games in a row.At least give us some value for our money, DROP THE MANAGER FOR A FEW GAMES THEN BRING HIM BACK, Then give him a FREE TRANSFER, MILES Away from Vale Park
Utter shambolic performance, only player trying was Croasdale!!!
I’m sick of all the negative comments week after week. We’ve got an average manager and average players they’re all trying their best but let’s face facts we’re nowhere near good enough for promotion. The only reason we’re still 2nd is because the league is awful and whoever goes up is coming straight back down.
If the manager is still with us at the end of the season I wonder if their will a large turnover of players again. We have no one who can dictate on the field and take the game by the scruff of the neck. Most boring and inept Vale team in decades. Moore, Glover, Aspin and Gannon all defenders in their time and all had defensive management attitudes. Come out of retirement Sir John till the end of the season. At the rate we are going we will do well to get in the play offs.
Dysfunctional and incohesive team. A lot of moaning and arm waving from players, devoid of an outfield player barking orders and jumping down the throats of those underperforming. Slowly morphing into last seasons gutless performers.
It’s no coincidence that the only players playing anywhere near their potential are Hall, Croasdale and Stockley, and strangely these are the three players who regularly play in their preferred positions. The rest of the squad is vastly under achieving, Tolaj, Paton, Curtis, Chislett and Garrity were full of goals last season yet now they go weeks and even months without even having an effort on goal, and why ? Fan instead of booing the players at the end of games should vent their feelings directly at the person responsible for the team underachieving and that is Darren Moore ! We have our own young lads who’s careers are being ruined by Moore being more interested in playing loanees who are no better than them, I would sooner see young Plant who cares out there than the likes of Hackford, I would sooner see Chislett and Curtis proven players at this level, being given more game time than the likes of Harper and Edwards. The constant changes since day one, the lack of faith in the players HE has signed is testament to a man with no plan A never mind a plan B. Lucky one goal wins at the beginning of the season distracted from how poor performances were. So many players underachieving is not down to players. As for Carol who admits “I know nothing about football then proudly says there is only one man I wanted for the job”. The lunatics are running the asylum! Harsh maybe but to admit you know nothing about football then chose the manager without even interviewing anyone else says it all.