A late goal from Wimbledon saw the Valiants lose at home on Tuesday evening. Here’s our match report.
Team News
Manager Jon Brady made one change from the side which won at Leyton Orient with Jordan Gabriel coming in for Ben Waine.
It meant Vale lined up in a 3-5-2 formation. Gabriel and Gordon were the wingbacks with John stepping into the back three. The midfield three saw Croasdale and Ojo as holding players with Garrity further forward. Archer moved up to partner Brown upfront.
Two new signings lined up on the bench in Elijah Campbell and defender Tyler Magloire. However, there was no place in the squad for Jordan Shipley.
Jordan Gabriel – handed start
First-half
After a cagey opening, the visitors had two penalty shouts turned down as it was goalless at the break.
It was an evenly matched affair although one low on quality on a cold Burslem evening. Wimbledon had the first decent chance but Liam Gordon blocked Tilley’s effort on three minutes.
Vale put in plenty of effort – charging down a goalkeeper clearance on one occasion – but with little in the way of clear chances. Their best saw Garrity shoot over from a free-kick and the same player have a header saved.
Garrity was prominent – being booked for a scuffle with Browne – while Tilley had another effort blocked with decent chances few and far between.
Vale nearly gifted Wimbledon a goal on the half-hour mark as Croasdale sold John short with a backpass but John and Gauci were quick to recover and prevent the chance.
There were further chances for the Dons on 36 mins but a mazy Bugiel run was ended with a solid block by John. Moments later Tilley shot into the side netting.
There were then appeals for a penalty when Nkeng went down but it was given as the Dons player appeared to make the most of a challenge from John. Remarkably there was a second appeal minutes later but again the ref turned it down with Ojo seemingly making contact with a Dons player in the box.
So, Wimbledon had finished the half the stronger but Vale were still in it at the break.
Half-time: Port Vale 0-0 AFC Wimbledon
Kyle John – solid defending
Second-half
Vale fell to a late sucker punch as they lost at home to AFC Wimbledon.
The Valiants made two half-time changes with Jayden Stockley and George Hall entering the fray. Hall came on for influential skipper Garrity and Stockley for Dejaune Brown.
Vale started the half strongly with an effort from Ojo going wide and Stockley mis-kicking when well placed. There were also Vale appeals for a penalty which were turned down.
Wimbledon were causing problems on the break and Gauci was alert to stop a chance on 58 minutes. George Hall then outpaced a Wimbledon defender but Archer skied it from his cross.
Vale certainly had periods where they pushed but were unable to take any of their chances. On 75 minutes they forced a series of corners but could not force a goal.
On 84 minutes Gabriel was sent free in the box but he was denied a shot on target by a good tackle. Vale just couldn’t seem to get that golden chance. It was to prove costly as Maycock was found unmarked in the Vale box and he coolly finished to put the visitors 1-0 up on 87 minutes. It was a gutting moment for the Valiants.
Vale made late changes with Waine and loanee Campbell entering the fray but it was too late as the visitors held on for an away win.
Full-time: Port Vale 0-1 AFC Wimbledon
Sub Jayden Stockley – added some energy
Analysis and Opinion
The match
Played in cold and sleety conditions, this wasn’t a game for the purists with both sides scrapping for points. Vale may have been lucky to survive two penalty chances but they also dominated for periods of play. It wasn’t pretty but it was gritty. Sadly, things did not go Vale’s way as their chances of staying up took another significant blow.
The players
This was a game for grafters and I thought the majority put it all on the line for the Valiants. The quality and finishing may have been missing but the application and effort was not.
On a night for grafters, the likes of Kyle John and Ryan Croasdale covered every yard but Cameron Humphreys also had a good game. Ethon Archer was a bright spark upfront (less so, Dejaune Brown) and half-time subs Jayden Stockley and George Hall injected energy. Jordan Gabriel looked out of sorts on the right flank. Perhaps four at the back with George Hall and Jayden Stockley starting would have been a better line-up?
Star player
Either Kyle John or Ryan Croasdale.
Summing up in a sentence
Battling Valiants denied by Dons’ sucker punch.
Match stats
Team: Gauci – John, Humphreys, Hall, Gordon (Campbell) – Croasdale, Ojo – Gabriel (Waine), Garrity (G.Hall), Archer – Brown (Stockley)
Subs: Amos, Walters, Magloire
Yellows: Garrity, C.Hall, Gabriel
Reds: none
Goals: none
Attendance:
Season stats
Your thoughts…
Debate the match on the dedicated match thread in the OVF forum
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Dire
Sadly a case of after the lord mayor’s show. Agree that Archer was good again. If you don’t shoot you don’t t score. There was a free kick in the 2nd half , central about 25 yards out and what happens, it’s passed sideways for Mr Ojo to float into the box and ends in nothing. Final thought 3 at the back, wing backs and 90th minute substitutes when losing, think Mr Brady may have found one of Mr Moores old tactics boards. Let’s hope he gets back on track on Saturday.
#CarolOut #HancockOut
Disappointingly familiar scoreline, hammering another nail into the relegation coffin. Managerial and squad changes, but the overall trend remains unchanged. Another blow to supporters, especially those who braved wintery conditions to attend the game on a cold night.
Brown had a torrid time in the first half, clearly playing the loan striker was not working for him against the physicality of the Dons defence, play looked a slicker with the introduction of Hall and Stockley but for all Vale efforts were in vain and the late Wimbledon goal was a bitter pill to swallow…..it’s a shame that the early season promise has ended up like this, plenty of effort just not enough quality….. the chances of avoiding the drop are looking minuscule and getting progressively smaller, but I’m sure Brady will build us a good team for next season and we can be challenging again…. Keep the faith UTV
Still don’t like the constant tinkering again with the formation…433 sat and a win..I know managers say it’s to combat the oppositions threat …I say stick to your winning formula and let the opposition worry about us …constant swapping and changing don’t work …one more thing HOW MANY TIMES MUST WE SUFFER LATE LATE GOALS AGAINST…ITS PATHETIC.. I know we need points.. and going for the win late on is good for some….but this is the vale consenting late goal specialists…. there was enough games to win and draw to escape …the drop…but times running out.and seen it with other teams you wouldn’t of expected to end up as a non league club ..but these performances could be like this in league 2….hopefully not ..fingers crossed
Although the players worked hard it was the same old story, plenty of corners and ball in the oppositions box, but we never looked like scoring. The Shanahans can’t do any wrong brigade may not like this. But the end of this season is finishing similarly to Smurthwaites relegation season. Experience players leaving to save money, then being replaced by inexperienced lads and unattached chancers in an attempt to keep us up. On top of this Smurthwaite said the club owed him around £2/3million, the club at its last count owed the Shanahans around £14million. In all fairness can anyone see a mass improvement at the club for this money? On the field, we are back to where we started. For the normal supporter off field facilities generally haven’t improved, in fact for supporters on the Railway side, they have lost 50% of their toilet facilities. Supporters of the Shanahans only defence is “would you sooner go back to Smurthwaite”. For me that’s no defence! The club is continuously loosing £millions every season, nothing is improving and we still have a clown like Hancock running the club. The club is in a mess! It’s being run like North Korea where they feel they have no one to answer to, then every now and again come out dancing around the pitch. Show use some improvement on and off the field which everyone one can enjoy and not just the cucumber sandwich brigade, and get Hancock replaced by someone who will reduce the clubs crippling looses !
Awful first half performance, slight improvement in the second half with the introduction of Stockley and G.Hall. Brown and Waine not good enough and in need of a left back who can defend. More required for next season as we are destined for league 2 but at least give us some football to watch as we end the season.
Thank you I Moutford, I have been saying these things for months, Vale are going only one way it’s down and down again, Carol tell us how this club owes you 14 million and get shut of Hancock.As hot last night Browne ,John , wain get shut of them they are not even good enough for the team,these players have no vision,if the ball comes in the air let’s play head tenny,Garity went off we reverted to the old Vale.It was PATHETIC.
Unfortunately the Vale have to get points on the board in anyway possible. I do have to agree with one of above contributors in that the Vale seem reluctant to shoot in case they widely miss the target. This happened in the first half and it must difficult for players who miss the target. But in the second half with the score level at 0-0 we had two golden opportunities to hit the target. One from the free kick and the late run into the box which lead to the vale player being tackled. I would like Jon Brady and the coaching staff to encourage the players to shoot more and early rather than try and create the perfect opportunity. MAKE THEIR GOALKEEPER WORK you never know where the rebound will go unless you TRY! Even if you miss the target!