It looked like being a precious home win for Port Vale but two late goals for Fleetwood saw the points shared and the Valiants still deep in relegation trouble.
Team news
17 year-old Baylee Dipepa was handed his first start while captain Nathan Smith was dropped. Kacper Lopata and Alex Iacovitti also returned to the defence, while Ben Garrity was named as captain. Loanee Alex Mighten was on the bench,
First-half
Vale started well thanks to good play by Jenson Weir. A one-two with Chislett saw the loanee move into the box and drew a good saving tackle from the Fleetwood defence. Garrity headed over from the resulting corner. There was a further chance for the lively Dipepa as Vale started brightly. It was the teenager who set up the opener on eighteen minutes, Dipepa passing the ball to Jenson Weir for his first goal in Vale colours. Fleetwood nearly got an immediate equaliser, but Ripley made a sharp save from close range. There was a further scare as Ripley came out to head the ball clear.
Vale countered with more good play from 17 year-old Dipepa who played in Chislett for another chance on 27 minutes. Alex Iacovitti headed just wide from the resulting corner. Ripley was then called into action again as he palmed a Fleetwood corner over. It sparked a good period of play for the visitors with Ripley pulling off a good save from Omochere.
The Valiants then made the visitors pay for their missed chances when they doubled their lead. After Chislett had gone narrowly wide, the midfielder was needlessly pushed in the box and the same player, Ethan Chislett stepped up to power the penalty into the box on 43 minutes.
It was a much better half of football from the Valiants headlined by some great play from loanee Jenson Weir and especially rookie forward Baylee Dipepa.
Half-time: Port Vale 2-0 Fleetwood Town
Second-half
The visitors started the second 45 minutes brightly with their best chance falling to sub Jayden Stockley but his header went wide. The Valiants made a triple change on 58 minutes with Mighten, Loft and Lowe all coming on. However, there was another good save from Ripley saving Coughlan’s shot.
Vale were struggling to create any clearcut chances in the second-half. Their first chance came on 66 minutes when good play from sub Mighten sent Ryan Loft clear but the forward, devoid of confidence, shot wide with only the keeper to beat. The home side would come to rue that miss.
Fleetwood continue to press and the Valiants were still grateful for another fine save from Ripley who managed to tip over a powerful drive from Lawal on 82 minutes.
However, Vale’s defence was finally breached on 88 minutes when Debrah miscontrolled and Jayden Stockley was on hand to net . To be fair to the visitors it was due reward for their second-half dominance. It made for a nervy additional six minutes of added-on time and Fleetwood headed an equaliser by Ryan Graydon in stoppage time. Vale nearly lost it in the final moments when a Sang miscue tested Ripley, who saved well.
It was a galling finish to the game for the shellshocked Valiants. The fans showed their frustration with jeers aimed at both the players and Director of Football David Flitcroft.
Full-time: Port Vale 2-2 Fleetwood Town
Closing thoughts
It was a bitterly disappointing end to the game. Initially, it looked like manager Darren Moore had pulled off a tactical masterclass. The manager wrung the changes bringing in height and power at the back and a more direct style which produced a number of long balls for Dipepa to run onto. It was an ideal tactic against a nervy and static Fleetwood defence in the first-half.
However, Fleetwood came out with much more energy and power in the second-half and ultimately Vale could not hold on with the visitors dominating possession and chances in the second 45 minutes.
There were some good performances. Ripley was once again impressive with some fine saves and in the first-half Baylee Dipepa and Jenson Weir played well. However, we have to say it again – the January transfer business – and the threadbare squad that resulted from it – has left Vale in real danger of League Two football.
Please note the following stats components may take a little while to update after the final whistle
Match stats
Port Vale: Ripley – Lopata, Iacovitti, Debrah – Ojo (Lowe) – Sang, Garrity, Weir (Plant), Jones – Chislett (Mighten) – Dipepa (Loft)
Unused subs: Leutwiler, Smith, Massey
Vale bookings: none
Vale goals: Weir (18), Chislett penalty (43)
Attendance: 4,358 (136 visitors)
I would. Like to say football can be cruel that’s the way it goes
I forecast relegation after the Bolton game which I was unfortunately watching and then following the transfer window when second rate players were signed. Settle back and prepare for division two because that season could see the end of Port Vale in the EFL with National league beckoning unless major changes are made.
played well first half, totally over run in midfield second half.
What’s up with Ojo, didn’t captain the side,didn’t take the penalty and went off early. Is he sulking because Crosby been sacked, or is he injured.
Survival is fading fast, divison 2 here we come.
We were lucky to escape with a draw after the second half which plumbed new depths in terms of Vale’s tactical ineptitude and lack of commitment.
Sang is not a right back and this was ruthlessly targeted and exploited (it is every week), whilst our 3 centre backs marked each other. I’m not certain what Lowe’s qualities as a footballer are other than the ability to sign 2 year contracts, and as for L.o.F.T. (Lack of Footballing Talent). I used to say he looked like a Sunday league centre-half stuck up front in desperation, but after his defending for their second goal last night, that would be an insult to my team-mates of yesteryear.
Out-thought tactically and out-fought at home by a team below us in the league, even with a flakey penalty in our favour (we were at least due one!) tells you all you need to know about where this Vale team are heading. About 3 players are league 1 standard, a few others are league 2 squad players. The rest are coasting either to retirement or the national league. Look at last years squad vs current incumbents. Worral for Sang anyone, or Harrison for Loft? Even Tom Pett, who I criticized for 2 years for being out of position in our midfield, had a blinder against us for Cheltenham, and would be a vast improvement on Lowe. Recruitment has been an utter disaster and has weakened us at every single transfer window.
Favourable cup draws and Ollie Arblaster gave us a false sense of security for half a season, and now we are plummeting towards league 2. With most of the squad on 2 year contracts I really fear for our ability to compete even there.
Is this a repeat of Forest Green in the past 2 seasons. Having been a Vale fan for 60 years I am beginning to worry that it could be. Unless someone can tell me something I don’t know, why oh why do we keep messing about with Smudger. One nightmare mistake and he’s dropped to the bench. Perhaps someone needs to point out what commitment and excellence he has shown as the main talisman at the back to date.
Why did we take off Chislett, Ojo and Dipepa all in one go and look disorganised and weakened.