The Valiants ended their poor run of form after a comprehensive away win at Newport with Jayden Stockley, Ethan Chislett and Loren Tolaj all on target.
Team news
Team newsManager Darren Moore made a number of changes to his starting eleven as he reverted to a back four. It included starts for Jayden Stockley, George Byers and Benicio. Loanees Rico Richards and Antwoine Hackford were named on the bench alongside experienced defender Ben Heneghan.
First-half
First-halfTargetman Jayden Stockley scored his first goals of the season as Vale overcame an error from keeper Connor Ripley to be in front at the break.
After kicking off, Vale took the lead with the first meaningful attack of the game. There was a delay due to an injury to a Newport player before Vale fed the influential Benicio. His expert cross found the head of Stockley who headed firmly home on six minutes.
The game was end-to-end for a period after that. Newport should have equalised when poor defending gifted them a number of chances in quick succession minutes after the goal. However, Vale were also causing problems with Stockley dominating the defenders. His best chance saw him head over from a Chislett shot.
There was a blow for the Valiants when the home side equalised on 25 minutes. A long cross was put over from the right-hand side and Ripley fatally hesitated in coming for the ball allowing Aaron Wildig to head home. However, Vale retook the lead eleven minutes later when a move saw the ball flicked on in the box and Stockley stretched to poke the ball home to make it 2-1. It meant Vale took a lead into the break.
Half-time: Newport County 1-2 Port Vale
Second-half
Second-halfTwo early second-half goals made it a comfortable away win for the Valiants, especially with Newport reduced to nine men after two moments of madness.
There were no changes at the break and Tolaj set up an early chance for Benicio but he was forced wide after outpacing the defence. Vale then took advantage of a mistake in the defence. Tolaj showed great awareness to intercept a sloppy pass and he fed Ethan Chislett to make it 3-1 with just three minutes played. It was four after just eight minutes when John surged into the box and the ball found Lorent Tolaj whose deflected shot found the net.
It got worse for the home side on the hour mark, when Steven Brennan was sent-off for a tangle on the ground with Ben Garrity where he appeared to kick out at Garrity when on the ground.
Vale were now looking comfortable against ten men and Tolaj flashed another effort wide. Newport were then reduced to nine men when Jameson was sent-off for kicking the ball away.
Vale then had a further chance when sub Richards saw a close range effort saved. However, despite their numerical disadvantage, Newport almost scored from an Evans header while another effort hit the bar. As the game drew to a close, Vale obviously had plenty of possession, but were unable to find the net for a fifth time. The closest they came were efforts from: the lively Richards who saw his curling drive well saved, a close range shot from Tolaj which was also well saved and another shot from sub Hackford which went wide.
This was a welcome away win for the Valiants and one which should give them renewed optimism for the season ahead.
Full-time: Newport County 1-4 Port Vale
Final thoughts:
This game certainly provided Vale with many more positives than negatives. The side looked more comfortable with a back four than the recent three at the back. Darren Moore’s changes also worked with the likes of Byers, Benicio, Tolaj and Stockley all justifying their starts.
It wasn’t a perfect performance with the defence still looking shaky at times but the Valiants looked impressive going forward and caused the Newport defence numerous problems. It was arguably game over even before Newport had two men sent-off. A word on those incidents – some home fans may berate the officials but kicking a man on the ground and kicking the ball away, both perpetrated inches away from the referee, are pretty stupid ways to get yourself sent-off and surely the players have only themselves to blame for the ill-discipline and subsequent red cards.
This is a result which will certainly ease the pressure on Darren Moore but with expectations so high, they now need to build on it.
For further match analysis and stats, you may want to check out this link to https://www.theyscored.com/football/match-summary/newport-county-port-vale/3516519
Pick of the players:
There were some good Vale performances on display. Stockley bullied the defence and looked a threat while Benicio again showed his tricky footwork and excellent delivery for Stockley’s goal. It was a blow to see him leave the pitch with a knock. George Byers had his best game in a Vale shirt while Lorent Tolaj also had an excellent game. After a quiet first-half, he scored his first goal and his excellent interception and cool pass also set up Chislett for the third. Kyle John was a constant outlet on the left and sub Rico Richards also had a lively second-half cameo.
Match stats
Please note these stats may not update immediately after the game finishes
Vale starting eleven: Ripley, Cover (Sang), Debrah, Hall, John – Byers (Lowe), Garrity – Benicio (Richards), Chislett (Paton) , Tolaj – Stockley (Hackford)
Subs: Amos, Heneghan
Vale bookings: Cover, Hackford
Vale goals: Stockley (6, 36), Chislett (48), Tolaj (53)
Attendance: 4,851 (554 visitors)
Rate the players
League table
What did you think of the Port Vale performance? Share your thoughts and post a comment below.
4 Goals in 1 game , I’m speechless.
4 to 1 up before they had two off is a good result. We must build on this but Ripley should have cut out their cross. 3 points in the bag and let’s look forward and get back into the promotion zone
Keep the faith.
Hope this will keep the doom mongers quiet. Thought Vale were great up to the substitutions made when the game was won. Thought Byers, Stockley and Tolaj were a different class. Onwards and upwards
Great team performance, helped by newport losing their heads.Tolaj nd Stocley standout.Benacio and Byers not far behind.Best game so far for vale for John. Hopefully thus turns the corner. Moore lives to fight on for another day. Time will tell
Great result best performance of the season tolaj stockley Byers outstanding chislet great if a negative on only criticism in my opinion henagan would be a better fit than hall or Deborah in a back four also John and cover looked the part at full backs keep it up great
The doom mongers were right to criticise, but AT LAST, he’s playing just two big men at the back in a back four, AT LAST, he’s played Chislett and, AT LAST he’s made the opposition worry about US and not gone there scared to death about the opposition. For me Stockley and Chislett were the outstanding players. Byers plays a lot deeper than I was expecting especially as he was being paraded as the new Ray Walker, but we will see as his fitness builds. Ripley continues to have these lapses of understanding with his fellow defenders which is concerning, last season they were with Nathan Smith. As for the sending offs, the first one I think if it had been the other way around and Garrity had been having his leg held like that and had been sent off some fans would have seen it a little differently. The second one, two balls were on the pitch and the lad just lost it and launched it into the Vale end. Frustrated and silly but no excuse . We did loose some discipline towards the end which was a shame and should have made a few more clear cut changes and possibly added to our goal tally.
Some fantastic performances today, although I thought Ripley was going to have a mare, Tolaj was brilliant all the match, I think Garetty, is way above this division, we are lucky to have him in our ranks.it is great to know Stockley can worry any defence,I hope I am proved wrong about Moore, we will see.
Cracking match. Hope he keeps same line up in future – the lads worked well together. We’ll deserved win. Up the Mighty Vale.