Goals from strikers Jayden Stockley and Lorent Tolaj gave ten men Vale a home win over Accrington. Here’s our match report.
Team news
Darren Moore made the one change bringing in Tom Sang to replace the suspended Mitch Clark. Sang came into the back three with Kyle John playing as right wingback. Ethan Chislett returned to the bench.
First-Half
Recalled defender Tom Sang hit the headlines for the right and wrong reasons as Vale took a 1-0 lead into the interval.
After a scrappy opening period, Sang provided a moment of quality with a superb cross to find the head of Jayden Stockley after six minutes. The striker headed home from the six yard box for his third goal in three games and seventh of the season.
However, seven minutes later Sang was dismissed for a tackle on Ash Hunter. It looked a similar tackle to Mitch Clark’s in the previous game with Sang going over the ball. However, Hunter, who was booed throughout afterwards made a meal of the challenge and arguably, like Clark, a yellow card would have been a better decision.
The Vale fans showed their discontent with the referee with the entire tone of the game changed after the red card.
Despite being a man down, Vale did not sit back. The industrious Headley had a shot blocked as did Stockley as the Valiants looked for a second.
Meanwhile, visitors Accrington were not endearing themselves to the crowd. Whaley matched teammate Hunter’s theatrics with a dive in the box, looking for a penalty, but to no avail as the Valiants took a half-time advantage.
Half-time: Port Vale 1-0 Accrington
Second-Half
Striker Lorent Tolaj added a second Vale goal to give the ten men all three points at Vale Park.
It came despite an early equaliser for the visitors. Boo boy Hunter smashed the ball against the woodwork on 53 minutes and sub Walton slotted the rebound home. It was nearly two moments later but Walton headed wide.
However, Vale countered with a well worked second goal. Headley found Garrity whose perfect pass put Tolaj clear in the box and the Swiss striker made no mistake to make it 2-1 on 55 minutes.
The Valiants held on despite chances for the visitors. Whalley had two efforts while Amos saved well from Love and Woods as Accrington searched in vain for an equaliser. However, it could have been Vale with a third as Garrity almost sealed it at the death.
So, despite losing a man for the second game in a row, despite more poor officiating, Vale record a valuable home win.
Full-time: Port Vale 2-1 Accrington
Summary
This was an invaluable win despite the poor refereeing. Where do they get these referees from? Today’s official was abysmal. His decisions were frequently irrational and he fully deserved the reception from the fans who sang “you’re not fit to be a referee” – his poor early decision could have ruined what turned out to be an entertaining game. No thanks to him though.
Sang’s dismissal now creates something of a problem for Vale. Mitch Clark is also suspended and with Brandon Cover sent back to Leicester and James Plant injured, it leaves Vale short of numbers on the right.
Players
Lorent Tolaj, who put in a fine performance, was the sponsors’ man of the match but he was run close by Kyle John, who put in an excellent shift.
There were some gritty performances throughout the team. The experienced spine – Smith, Hall, Croasdale, Stockley and Garrity all put in shifts. Ben Amos was reassuring in goal. However, Rakeem Harper’s passing was wayward and could have been better. His place may be under threat from George Byers who impressed when taking to the pitch.
Stats
Starting XI: Amos – John, Smith, Hall – Sang, Croasdale, Harper (Byers), Headley – Garrity – Stockley (Umolu), Tolaj (Heneghan)
Subs: Broome, Chislett, Curtis, Hackford
Goals: Stockley (6), Tolaj (55)
Bookings: Amos, Harper, Stockley
Dismissal: Sang
Attendance: 6,198
Competition: League Two
What did you think of the game and the performance? Scroll down and submit a comment.
10 men drew last week, 10 men win this week, Valiant Show.
Worst referee so far this season totally crap. Excellent team performance. For me Kyle John and Smudge fantastic at the back. Stockley superb again but the Swiss haaland my man Laurent Tolaj ran his socks off and cool finish was fully deserving of man of match. Sang unlucky to be sent off, but at least he won’t be available for a couple of games on the plus side 🙂 Let’s keep momentum going
Great result after being down to ten men for over 90 minutes. Let’s hope we have someone to cover right side for next 2 or 3 games. Keep the faith fellow Valiants.
AWFULL REFEREE. Never a red card that #45 for Accrington was such a cheat and the fact the ref says that was a high foot no way I think we played well even though we played against 12 the 12th the ref Walsall’s Bubbles bursted now UTV.
Abysmal referee, liked ripping into our lads, there players were good actors
Substandard ref, when he watches the replay even he will see it wasn’t a sending off . Not sure which make of Lucky bag these refs are being pulled out of. Ought to go back to his day job, Do you want fries with it ?
Fantastic effort from the lads down to 10 so early gave everything and thoroughly deserved the win. Shocking cheating from Accrington players hopefully they go down. Officials can’t be this bad it’s week after week of appalling performances I’m questioning who’s training them and official post match assessments of them are always positive when all the fans know they are diabolical. End on a positive please God keep Byers fit for rest of season absolute class UTV !
Tremendous effort winning with 10 men for the vast majority of the game. Vital 3 points but even with winning three and drawing two of the last five games, the Vale are finding out just how hard it is to keep up with the automatic promotion places after their earlier loss of form. It’s going to be a real battle to finish in the top three instead of the play off lottery. Consistency will be key.
You just think the refs can’t get any worse, then up pops another who wants to make the game all about them.
The League have got to look into crap rubbish we get for so called referees and also the way the player dived, anyone who has played will tell you that when you are genuinely injured you do not rock and roll on the floor 10/10 to all the players fantastic Stamina and guts shown
Vale should change their song from “the wonder of you” to “you don’t know what you’re doing”. It’s all you ever hear nowadays! Both sending off were not nasty incidents, but if you go in with your studs showing like Sang did, or if you come down with your studs high on some one’s foot, like Clarke did, there’s a good chance your asking for trouble. To me they were both 50/50s which way they went, but unfortunately Vale lost both of them and both lads walked. I’m sure if both incidents had happened on Vale players, fans would be screaming to send them off. Money has killed football as a sport and it’s a business of win at all costs, hence people time wasting, diving all over the place and fake injuries. Obviously some teams are worse than others usually the smaller teams battling against the odds, but all teams do it. I’ve yet to hear of one manager who has criticised one of his players for conning a decision out of a referee, so nothing will change. Even Pundits on the tele “if you think you’ve felt a touch your entitled to go down”. I never criticise referees at games because especially at the Vale you’re usually 50-70 yards away from the incident. (although I did criticise the Bromley goal because I was sat behind the goal). Referees have 22 players trying to con them every minute of every game, and thousands of fans hurling abuse at them every time a decision doesn’t go their way. Owners, managers, players and supporters alike, no one moans if decisions go in their favour, but god help the Ref if the decision goes against them. Every club has players who bend the rules and try to con the ref and Vale are no different and if fans think otherwise their being naive. As for the match it was another good battling performance and very pleasing to see us go on and win the game instead of just shutting up shop once we went down to 10men. We had a bit of luck at times but we deserved it. Tolaj ran his legs off and personally I thought Smithy was our man of the match, I would have given it to Headley who did very well going forward, but the amount of crosses that came in from our left side in the second half was somewhat alarming. Harper still looks miles off being match fit so possibly the door could be open for Byers to get his chance and prove me wrong. The next 3 league games will tell us just how good we are.
Ian Moumntford it’s not just the ins and outs of was it a foul or not, should the player be sent off or not,it’s the poor sportsmanship,the player had every intention of getting Sang sent off, he went down like he’d been shot,Accrington came to Vale park, with that intention, just like they did last season,with their spoiling tactics,for me (and I don’t like saying this )the sooner they go out of the league the better,it is after all a contact sport,.I personally would of given the benefit of the doubt to the Vale player,Sang is not a dirty player and it was early in the game,but if you want to go to the letter of the law, he did go over the top.