Port Vale were defeated at home by League One side Bolton Wanderers in their final summer friendly ahead of the new season.
The Vale side was still missing the likes of Nathan Smith, Mitch Clark, George Byers and Jayden Stockley as Darren Moore took no risks.
The Valiants got off to the worst possible start when they conceded a goal just one minute into the game. Good work from Dacres-Cogley set up Aaron Collins to slot into the net.
Vale countered with an effort from Paton that went over while Bolton’s Arfield forced a save from Ripley. However, the visitors did find the target again on 32 minutes when Victor Adeboyejo pounced on a loose back-pass to score. The first-half ended with a header by Ben Heneghan which was saved.
Half-time: Port Vale 0-2 Bolton Wanderers
The Valiants started the second period brightly with an effort from Garrity and then a good move which also set up Tolaj. The visitors then had a chance on the hour mark but Dion Charles’ effort was deflected over. However, the forward made no mistake on 74 minutes when he made it 3-0 to the visitors after racing clear of the Valiants defence.
Vale did counter with a couple of efforts from Tolaj but to no avail as it ended in a comfortable win for the League One visitors. The Valiants will be disappointed with the result as their attention turns to their opening fixture in League Two against Salford City.
Full-time: Port Vale 0-3 Bolton Wanderers
Valiants match stats
Port Vale: Ripley, Sang, Hart, Croasdale (Ojo), Heneghan (Debrah), Hall (Lowe), Garrity, Plant, Curtis (Buah), Paton (Jones), Tolaj
Subs not used: Amos, Lomax
Bookings: Lowe
What did you think of the Vale performance? Share your thoughts and post a comment below.
Bolton played at half pace
Vale really were poor
Huge difference in gulf
How things change
But good luck to Bolton, and best wishes to vale
A poor performance and we have injuries to players who have not yet played. It smacks of last seasons pre season. Keep the faith but we need a leader on the field but we do not seem to have one.
Enjoyed game from The Bycars stand .
Vale seemed ‘ to fall over themselves ‘ two or three Valiants perhaps too eager to reclaim the play .
Several times strong shots could easily have dipped inside the visitors posts .
Considering this was essentially bottom against top and Vale were missing a string of top players they had a beneficial workout to set up return to division one .
Good luck . Thank you for a welcome from everybody we met .
After spending what is a colossal amount for league two standards, one would have hoped for a closer contest against a Bolton team who all said and done, are no more than a league one outfit. While results in friendlies mean nothing, the manner in which you play is. Tuesdays performance all be it against a Luton XI, was a breath of fresh air in the way we went about our task. Saturday however, all our old fragility’s especially at the back resurfaced. Positive points, we are playing with more than one forward. Let’s hope for more of the Tuesday performances than the Saturday one, if not there could be another very expensive management dismissal on the horizon.
The last of 9 pre season warm up games that produced 5 defeats and too few goals against some inferior opposition. On this evidence, still work to be done to gel the team and establish an effective formation. The new signing created an enthusiastic response from supporters, somewhat dampened by these underwhelming performances.
I would be nice to hear the manager response to this latest defeat. Not the normal flannel talk but an open honest acessment of what they did and what he is trying to do.
Average manager,sorry I’ve tried to understand what he’s doing, we are an average team with him in charge, and I think we will finish mid table after he has been released from his managerial duties.