Darren Moore’s side made it eight League games without a win as they lost at Lincoln City. Here’s our match report.
Team News
Darren Moore made three changes to his starting eleven bringing in Jayden Stockley, Funso Ojo and Ronan Curtis in place of Ruari Paton, Rhys Walters and Jaheim Headley. With Curtis playing out of position and Headley not on the bench, despite being fit, it meant Vale had no recognised left wingback in their match squad. It was Ojo’s first League start since August.
George Byers returned to the squad with a place on the bench alongside Walters and Paton. The Irishman was one of three forward options with Mo Faal and Dejaune Brown also subs.
Jayden Stockley – starting place
First-half
Under-pressure Port Vale were trailing at the break as a confident Lincoln side bossed the first 45 minutes.
It was the home side with the early pressure, causing Vale’s defence concern but without creating any clear chances. Their best opportunities saw Ben House’s effort deflected wide after nine minutes and strike partner Freddie Draper mis-kicked wide a minute later.
As the match approached 25 minutes, Vale were at least holding their own although they’d failed to force the Lincoln keeper into a meaningful save. The home side had had more pressure but at this stage, both sides were cancelling themselves out.
Vale’s best opportunity so far came on 27 minutes when Cole crossed well from the right but Curtis directed his header wide. Lincoln then countered with a move where Gauci dropped a cross but Ben Heneghan was on hand to expertly clear off the line.
However, the home side did find the target on 32 minutes. Kyle John lost the ball, Reeco Hackett was found on the edge of the box and his powerful shot beat Gauci. It was almost two minutes later but Vale scrambled the ball clear.
Vale created a chance with a corner on 38 minutes but captain Ben Garrity headed it wide. That was the final chance of the half as Lincoln comfortably played the remaining time out. At the break, Vale once again faced a big challenge.
Half-time: Lincoln City 1-0 Port Vale
Ben Heneghan: cleared off line
Second-half
The off-form Valiants were unable to rally in a scrappy second 45 minutes – as the pressure mounts on manager Darren Moore.
The second period started in much the same vein as the first – with Vale unable to force the home keeper into any meaningful saves. As the game went past the hour mark it was pretty dour stuff and Moore tried to shake things up by bringing Faal on for Stockley.
With 80 minutes played, Vale had still failed to put a shot on target and considering they were trailing, that’s not the sort of play that will level things up.
The Valiants did manage to get an effort on target on 82 minutes but George Hall’s header was easily saved. Meanwhile, Lincoln sub Collins nearly took advantage of another weak Gauci punch. Collins came close again as Vale failed to put any pressure on in the closing minutes.
Moore threw on strikers Ruari Paton and Dejaune Brown in the closing minutes but it was too little and far too late. It was a limp ending to a scrappy game with Vale once again coming away with nothing. Fans will be asking – how much longer can this be allowed to go on?
Full-time: Lincoln City 1-0 Port Vale
George Hall – wasted a late header
Analysis and Opinion
The match
Played in rainy conditions, initially Vale did well to keep Lincoln at bay. However, they produced virtually no attacking threat of their own. So, while heads did not drop after conceding, an equaliser looked highly unlikely. It wasn’t a terrible performance by any measure but in a scrappy game, Vale simply didn’t create any decent chances. As a result, they will get no points from it and that ultimately is the issue. The pressure is increasing yet more on under-fire manager Darren Moore.
The players
George Hall and Ronan Curtis were lively albeit in patches. However, Kyle John had a tough task with a lot of Lincoln play down their left flank and his error resulted in Hackett’s goal. Joe Gauci will also be disappointed with an off-par performance. Cameron Humphreys was the most comfortable of the back three while Ojo and Garrity worked hard. Jayden Stockley looked short of match sharpness.
Star player
No-one was outstanding, but Ojo was OK in central midfield while Ronan Curtis and George Hall had flashes of skill (although the latter blotted his copybook with a weak late header).
Summing up in a sentence
Another blunt performance keeps Vale in bottom place.
Match stats
Team: Gauci – Humphreys, Heneghan, C.Hall – John, Garrity, Ojo, G.Hall, Curtis (Brown) – Stockley (Faal), Cole (Paton)
Subs: Amos, Debrah, Byers, Walters
Yellows: Ojo
Reds: none
Goals: none
Attendance: 8,503 (653 visitors)
Season stats
Your thoughts…
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Here we go again Port Vale 0….getting ridiculous. The shouts of “WE WANT DARREN OUT AND DARREN MOORE YOIR FOOTBALL IS SH*T ” sadly very predictable during and affter an awful performance. Time to go you clown! Do the decent thing and resign cos it’s clear that the deluded Carol and Hancock have buried their collective heads deep in the sand. Us fans work hard all week and pay our hard earned wages to what that sh*t show. He’s a joke of a manager and is driving us straight back to league 2.GET MOORE OUT OF OUR CLUB!!
I have supported Vale since watching my first match at the old recreation ground in Hanley in September 1944.there were no goals there either plus, like today,poor forward play from McDowall and Eric prince,who like Paton ,Garrity and co couldn’t kick their way out of a paper bag! Unlike this team though,they did best Northampton town a and Aston villa in the war league north.Where are the likes of Freddy Steele,Gordon Lee and ( in his heyday) John Ridge to pick the right guys and get the best out of them.
Moore out tonight before it’s to late, it’s beyond ridiculous the football tactics he puts out.
It’s unlikely managers resign as then they don’t get a pay off. When managers leave it’s usually announced as by mutual consent. In other words, the manager leaves in exchange for money.
Thanks for your observation Ian. We all know he isn’t go to resign because he wants his pound of flesh. Carol should have sacked him previously but that’s going to cost her money.Bit of s stalemate, keep the clown and achieve relegation or bite the bullet and pay him off for doing a sh*t job! Whatever ever happens this is the result of giving him a ridiculous contract in the first place. You reap what you sow.
Looking on the bright side the performance was better than the previous two games however this team and manager are not going to save this season time to change is probably to late but at least do the decent thing get rid of Moore and at least give your poor supporters some hope for next season if you have not got the bottle to do this sell the club and get out
Lost again. Absolutely no surprises with this defeat. The stark reality of Vale’s predicament must have shaken the owners. Next week’s FA Cup 2nd Round home tie against Bristol Rovers is a distraction, a chance for the team to regain form. It’s also a very useful break in League fixtures for the owners to research or set up a replacement Manager. There seems no end in sight to the goal drought that’s anchored the club to the bottom of the league, and Moore doesn’t have the answers. Grim times for supporters, testing their loyalty.
Looks like we are gonna have to go through the pain as the mistake really was we got promoted too quickly. It’s the reason Carol gave Moore a five year contract, we weren’t meant too achieve promotion straight away, he was tasked to stabilise us and ensure we finished in the top ten then build from that. The frustrating thing is we do have a match squad capable of grafting together and getting us back up the table but Moore is just clutching at straws now to find that squad of players. About 90% of the fans have that squad in there heads but our Manager can’t see it anymore hence some bizarre selections etc. I still believe in these players, we’ve witnessed it at times so for goodness sake Moore just pick those that have proven they can before it really is too late 🙁
Reflecting on Vale’s dire predicament, I’ve just recovered from an almost uncontrollable laughing fit thinking about that extraordinary decision to loan out the club’s best young talent Shorrock to Chester in the National League North. It beggars belief thinking about it, never mind actually doing it. Shorrock should have been retained, and played at Lincoln in the absence of Gordon, Headley, and Johnson. It’s like Stoke sending Nathan Lowe on loan to Llandudno in the Welsh League. In the cold light of day it’s no laughing matter. More a reflection of the strange decision making affecting team affairs. When Shorrock returns I expect Moore to say “it’s like having a new signing”.
If she doesn’t sack him on Monday , and we get relegated , then that’s on her as much as Moore.
The two of them are turning their noses up at the fans , or the “outside noises” , as Moore likes to call it . Just remember this , Darren Moore , the nice party will end very quickly when the money runs out , and we find ourselves in the National League . Stranger things have happened. It worries me to see the status quo tonight.
A slap in the face to all true Vale fans.
Get rid now before it’s to late we will go down if we carry on playing three at the back because Moore will not change is style of play