Port Vale’s winless run stretched to eight games on Wednesday evening as Reading scored two late goals to earn all three points.
Team news
Manager Darren Moore reverted to a back four for this game and made four changes to his starting eleven. Alex Mighten made his first start and there was welcome news on the bench with Ben Garrity back in the squad after injury. Loanee Kacper Lopata was missing from the squad after being injured at the weekend.
First-half
The home side started strongly and the first chance came when appeals for a penalty were turned down after the ball appeared to hit Jason Lowe’s hand in the box. The Valiants countered with an effort from Jenson Weir after he picked up a loose ball from a Chislett run. Reading then had another chance but Bindon drove wide.
Just like the abandoned fixture, there was a protest in the sixteenth minute but for this game it came in the form of mass red card protest. It led to a period of sustained pressure from Reading with Vale just about managing to clear their lines.
The visitor’s best moments came from flashes of skill from Mighten and Chislett. After the home side had dominated possession without creating any clearcut chances, Vale came more into the game in the closing stages. However, it was the home side who had the best chance of the half as Ripley pulled off a fine save from an Ehibhatiomhan header and Sang was on hand to clear. Vale countered with a drive from Mighten which went wide.
It was a half where full debutant Mighten has shown some glimpses of promise on the wing and where Vale, despite some scares, had looked more comfortable playing with a back four. A goalless draw was probably a fair score at the break.
Half-time: Reading 0-0 Port Vale
Second-half
The Valiants had the first chance of the second forty five when Weir went on a powerful run and forced a save from the Reading keeper. There was a further chance when Chislett’s ball was inches away from Ryan Loft.
Vale were grateful for Connor Ripley who pulled off another fine save on 63 minutes to keep the score goalless. However, Ripley was helpless on 75 minutes when Lewis Wing smashed in a long-range goal. To be fair to the home side, it was a high class strike.
The goal roused Reading and the home side could have put the game out of sight moments later but Azeez’s effort hit the bar with Ripley beaten. The three points were sealed on 82 minutes when Grant was caught of position and after a scramble in the box, Knibbs fired home. From that moment, Vale knew they were beaten.
These are worrying times for the Valiants. Nothing is going their way and they are deeply embedded in the relegation zone.
Full-time: Reading 2-0 Port Vale
Closing thoughts
Vale had looked more comfortable with a back four although once again this was a game where there were scares at the back. However, the Valiants will think they deserved more out of this game for the effort put it. It was encapsulated by Ryan Loft who put in an energetic shift upfront. It was also nice to see some touches of class from Ethan Chislett and full debutant Alex Mighten.
Tom Sang also had a decent game at right-back while Connor Ripley once again pulled off some fine saves. However, there are clear deficiencies on both the left of defence and upfront – yes, those areas where the club was going to (but failed to) strengthen in January. We’re sounding like a broken record on that front but those problems could come to haunt us at the end of the season!
Port Vale sadly now seem to be in that rut that can hit relegation-threatened sides when nothing goes for them. The Valiants were a stronger unit and in better form when the original game was planned only for that game to be abandoned. Now, bereft of form and luck the side have left Reading with nothing.
Please note the following stats components may take a little while to update after the final whistle
Match stats
Port Vale: Ripley – Sang, Debrah, Smith, Jones (Grant) – Lowe – Ojo, Mighten (Massey), Weir, Chislett (Garrity) – Loft (Wilson)
Unused subs: Leutwiler, Iacovitti, Dipepa
Vale bookings: none
Vale goals: none
Attendance:
Quiet simple if flitcroft is still there in the summer I like many other vale fans will not be renewing my season ticket carol look at the attendances in the coming games
Another game that slipped away from us, to be fair Vale competed all over the park but with little to no impact up front we were never going to win. Reading’s goalkeeper was redundant for the majority of the game and after the final whistle he placed his kit in the clean kit bag, unused. 15 games to save ourselves, keep the faith.
The team has been crying out for a back four for 18 months. I would even go as far to say a 4 4 2 formation or even a 4 5 1, we just need to stop conceding 2 and 3 goals every game, and then give us a chance of pinching games. They say players win games and not formations which is true so unless the work rate and intensity doesn’t increase nothing will matter. Personally I don’t think any football chief executive in the world could have done a worse job than Flitcroft. Carol’s blind belief in Flitcroft is mind boggling, the fact that no one else can understand why is most concerning. The laughable situation our neighbours down the road have been in with their yearly turnover in players and managers comes directly from having someone else signing the players other than the managers, and Carol seems determined to send us down the same path. We are desperate for 2 or 3 quick wins just to stop us being cast adrift let’s hope the next two home games next week brings them.