Striker Devante Cole scored on his debut and Port Vale had numerous chances to win this game only to lose it at the death. Here’s our match report.
Team News
Team NewsAs expected there was a first start for deadline day signing Devante Cole although his choice of forward partner – Mo Faal – was perhaps more surprising. Marko Marosi started in goal and his cover was Ben Amos who returned from injury to make the bench. Alongside Amos were a plethora of forward options in Ruari Paton, Dajaune Brown and Ronan Curtis.
First-half
A topsy-turvy game saw Vale take the lead through Ryan Croasdale but trail at the break as both sides had plenty of opportunities to score.
The opener came minutes into the game and it was deadline day signing Devante Cole who was the provider. The striker broke on the left and was able to cross to two unmarked Vale players in the box. Ryan Croasdale met the ball to slot it home. Vale should then have made it two and were to regret the miss. Good work by Byers saw him win the ball and thread a delightful ball for Faal but he miscontrolled and his shot was saved.
Almost immediately, Orient equalised. A deflected cross deceived Marosi and Connelly was left with an easy tap-in to make it 1-1 on 13 minutes.
The Vale keeper was having a patchy half. He did well with a one-on-one but a misplaced pass gave the visitors another chance and he was unconvincing in the air with one challenge with O’Neill. The Orient player found the net but was deemed to have fouled. It wouldn’t matter for the visitors as moments later Korona squared and new signing Ballard slotted home to make it 2-1 on 43 minutes.
Vale were not without chances of their own. Walters had two thumping drives saved and Byers should have done better with the second as he sent the rebound wide. As the half drew to an end, John nearly found Cole with a good ball but to no avail as Vale trailed at the break.
Half-time: Port Vale 1-2 Leyton Orient
Second-half
Devante Cole scored on his debut as Vale rallied after the break only for Orient to snatch a last-gasp winner.
Both of Vale’s half-time subs were involved early on. First Ruari Paton forced a fine save out of the Orient keeper and then fellow replacement Ojo headed against the bar from Paton’s free-kick. Sandwiched between was a goal from debutant Devante Cole. Walters hit another long-range effort and this one struck the post only for Cole to pounce on the rebound to level the scores.
Vale were seeing far more of the ball in the second 45 minutes and looking the most likely to take the lead. However, Orient still had chances with Marosi producing a smart save from Craig on 74 minutes.
The Valiants were next to threaten with a Heneghan header. There was then a chance for Orient as the ball ran free in the area but no-one could poke it home. It was anyone’s game at this point. It almost came from Paton’s cross to fellow sub Dejaune Brown but the striker couldn’t quite connect. Vale continued to press in stoppage time but instead they gave the ball to the dangerous Connelly who set up sub Charlie Wellens to slot home with seconds remaining. Wasteful Vale had shot themselves in the foot once again.
Full-time: Port Vale 2-3 Leyton Orient
Analysis
The match
This game will be a sickener for Port Vale fans. There were chances at both ends but with Vale dominant after the break it looked like the home side were the more likely winners. But once again, the Valiants threw a game away. There will be some pressure building on Darren Moore after this result. There will certainly be questions over his starting eleven with Vale looking much brighter after the subs came on.
The players
Negatives – Jaheim Headley and George Byers had poor games by their standards. Mo Faal was ineffective upfront. Goalkeeper Marosi looked nervy at times.
Positives – Ruari Paton was bright after coming on, surely he needs to start upfront? Funso Ojo added energy to the midfield while Rhys Walters was unlucky with a clutch of long-range efforts. Ryan Croasdale’s work rate always impresses.
Star man
With an assist and a goal, it has to be Devante Cole.
Summing up in a sentence
Vale throw it away again.
Match stats
Team: Marosi – Humphreys, Heneghan, Hall – John (Clark), Croasdale, Byers (Ojo), Walters, Headley (Gordon) – Faal (Paton), Cole (Brown)
Subs: Amos, Curtis
Yellows: Hall
Reds: none
Goals: Croasdale (7), Cole (51)
Attendance: 7,721 (349 visitors)
Season stats
Your thoughts…
Debate the match on the dedicated match thread in the OVF forum
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Deja vu. Football lasts 90plus minutes. That is why we will be playing in league 2 next season if something does not change soon. Positives goal for Cole. Paton creative and Croasdale like the duracell bunny and and yes we scored a goal,in fact 2 but still no points. Schoolboy error at the end from Ojo, why did he not commit a professional foul and take the yellow card? Looks like he is heading for a consecutive relegation from league 1 for the 3rd year in a row? Whoever is in charge of finding the new players bought in needs to take a long hard look on the mirror.And finally Mr Moore the buck stops with you. Football is a results business and you are not delivering. Taxi for Moore!!!! Meters running!!!
Totally out of our depth in this league shambles in defence, pitiful midfield, nothing up front clueless manager, bring on end of season back to league 2.
Div 2 here we come Paton should have been on from the start. Managerseems to treat him like he did with Chislett and that was disgraceful at times. Our former guy Tolly 3 from 2 and is with a good squad. The manager as to go, clueless wth tactics and man management. Since becoming in charge massive turnover of players
No Debrah. Garrity, Shorrock. La
Ck of cohesion and leadership.
Vale started well up to scoring then the negative set in as a result 2-1 down at half time second half came out looking far the better team until we equalised we then went all out in the last 5 minutes and got caught with a suckker punch question again on his team selection no Debra and Clarke it is easy to see why Sheffield Wednesday and Doncaster got rid of Moore it is time we did the same
Well I did not go to the game today, I have found something better to do with my money, rather than give it towards Mr Moores salary, so he can play at being a football manager, David Rafferty got it right so did Doncaster, and Sheffield Wednesday, he has not got a scooby Do, and Carol is helping to kill the club with him in charge.Can anyone tell me how long Garrity is out for now Mr Moore has played him ,when he was still injured
Too early to suggest Vale will be in a relegation battle ? The table makes grim viewing, and reminds me of the 1983-84 relegation season when Vale dropped like a stone after John McGrath’s promotion to the old Third Division. The same pattern of bright football but conceding goals is worrying. I’m not calling for the Manager’s head, but he must find a quick solution to Vale’s awful start to their league campaign. Perhaps the answer lies in team selection and tactics. He has his squad covered by two players per position. Today’s match day 18 was without Gauci, Gabriel, Shorrock, Debrah, Garrity, Waine, Stockley, Shipley, and Richards loaned out. They can’t all be selected, but Moore must find the right formula and combination. His decision today not to start Paton dismayed me and probably others. Supporter criticisms about Moore’s management generally focus on his team selection and tactics. It’s under the microscope now more than ever.
Did the manager have Orient watched prior to the game? If so why did Moore choose 3 big centre halves, and Headley who can’t defend, to play against a forward line of small quick forwards? And why does he continue to choose dead legs Byers when the combination of Walters/Croasdale/Ojo looks so much superior without him? Byers is starting to look more and more like a dreadful expensive signing we could have done without. This squad is good enough to stay in this league, but our manager has now won only 4 games out of over 50 at league one level. That’s not bad luck. The manager signs the players, picks the team and decides on the system to play, so at some point he has to take the rap for results. No doubt we will have a host of changes for next weeks game at Exeter, and one would imagine one of those will be Amos coming back in. If so that will be 3keepers we’ve used in 10 games. He’s signed 5 forwards, one of which he has already sent out on loan! It sounds ridiculous but he seems to pick players because it’s their turn to play, and with nothing to do with how well they are playing. We are back to square one with him. The wingbacks seem to change every other week, the centre backs can be any 3 of 5, and any combination, with John chucked in there to confuse matters more. The midfield is the same and as for the forward line it’s as if he picks them out of a hat. While performance haven’t been disastrous, you only get what you deserve!
Mr Moore has got enough players in the squad to compete at this level. However, chopping and changing the back five every week does nothing for the stability of the team. Mitch on the bench, Kyle John plays two games in four days, work that one out. Headley can’t defend, we have better options in that position on the bench. Humphries, who’s settled in really well finds himself on the right of three centre halves. It’s got to the point where I dred the team selection!
Personally I haven’t seen a team out play us yet. It will come and I’m convinced it will be very soon and hopefully again Araenal. Keep going lads we played all the teams everybody had in their predictions for top ten finishers. Come On Vale 😉
Player partnerships are formed by playng together regularly we don’t get the same formation or same two forwards from one game to the next the defence have a good game but is changed the next game we don’t seam to know who is best keeper a player is having a good game but is subbed for no particular reason paton was praised by the manager the other night and his confidence was high only to have it taken away by being left out of the starting eleven he needs games to prove he is good enough at this level I just hope we can turn it around
WOW, some of the comments on here,are from fans that don’t know much about my beloved vale,stay at home or spend your money on a red and white top,so what we haven’t won yet but i have seen enough to know we will be in this league next season,i hope the above and maybe more end up eating humble pie again just like the so called valiants did last season,when the vale and manager were out of their depth to get out of the league below us,,,,,,oh and i am on my way to sunny exeter next week to watch us get three points VALE FOREVER
Love it Valiant55 😉