Port Vale v Carlisle Utd preview – can home comforts help Moore’s team?

The Vale view

Form

Sometimes it’s worth fans remembering that Vale still sit in second place in the table. So, current form has not been brilliant but the team have still lost just twice in their last sixteen League games.

Fitness

Vale are hopeful that Ethan Chislett and Tom Sang are fit after missing the Bromley game. Sam Hart also limped out of that game and may be a doubt. George Byers was left out on Saturday after suffering a reaction on his return to action. However, Darren Moore says he is confident he will be fit to be part of the squad for this game. Captain Ben Garrity remains sidelined along with loanee Benicio.

Team selection

If Hart isn’t fit then the obvious wingback selection would be Brandon Cover and Kyle John but there are plenty of other options in Jack Shorrock, Conor Grant and fit again Mitch Clark. Rico Richards may earn a place upfront after an impressive display off the bench on Saturday.

Possible line-up

Formation: 3-4-3

Starting eleven: Ripley – Sang, Debrah, Hall – Cover, Croasdale, Harper, John – Richards, Stockley, Curtis

Trivia: Vale have used 27 players in the League so far this season.

Viewing guide

This game will not be shown on Sky Sports+ in the UK and so Vale fans in the UK will not be able to watch. Viewers outside of the UK can see the game on the PVTV service.

Guide to the opposition

Club factfile

• Team: Carlisle United
• League: League Two
• Manager: Mike Williamson

Trivia: Carlisle have won their last two away games

Man in charge

According to Wikipedia, Mike Williamson is a Port Vale supporter. Will he do the club a favour? We doubt it. The 41 year-old had a long playing career, totalling more than 400 games before moving into management. This is his third club having had previous spells at Gateshead and MK Dons. He joined in September 2024 and has three wins from sixteen games.

Form

It’s really not good! The club has recorded just three League wins all season. The last one came five games ago when they won 1-0 at Salford and the only other away win was 2-0 at Swindon Town. The club has only scored one goal in its last three League games.

Squad and injuries

Carlisle were recently dealt a double blow with the news that Dylan McGeouch and Josh Vela are both set for spells on the sidelines. Dom Sadi and Harrison Biggins are also doubtful. However, Carlisle Williamson hope that Kadeem Harris will be fit to return to the squad.

One to watch

It’s tricky to single one out but versatile Jon Mellish has received praise in recent games. The 27 year-old has now been at Carlisle for five years.

History

Current Connections

The Valiants may come up against former loan midfielder Callum Guy, who is still a member of the Carlisle squad. Now aged 28 the former Derby County man has been in and out of the Carlisle side this season. Guy made eleven appearances for Vale during the 2016-17 season while on loan from County.

Former Connections

In recent years, striker Ryan Edmondson spent a spell on loan during Vale’s promotion season before joining Carlisle and enjoying a second, successive promotion to boot. Goalkeeper Tomas Holy was loaned in from Ipswich and later had a permanent spell with Carlisle. Finally, loanee Danny Butterworth, who had a spell with the Valiants last season joined Carlisle a permanent basis from Blackburn Rovers.

Featured connection

Midfielder Marc Bridge-Wilkinson had distinguished spells with both clubs. Signed by Vale from Derby County in 2000, the midfielder had already had a loan spell with Carlisle prior to that move. He made 140 appearances and scored 36 goals during a four year stay with the Valiants which included victory in the 2001 Football League Trophy final. He later had a four year spell with Carlisle but was unable to repeat the trick, finishing as a runner-up in the Football League Trophy final of 2010.

Overall record

• Port Vale wins: 16
• Port Vale losses: 16
• Draws: 12

Trivia: it’s all-square in terms of meetings between the two sides with sixteen wins apiece.

Last time we met

The two teams met in January this year at Brunton Park. The Valiants took the lead through Ben Garrity’s 49th minute opener but lost the game after two late goals for the home side as it finished 2-1 to Carlisle

Fixture history

The two sides first met during the 1929-30 season in a couple of encounters which Vale will have enjoyed. They won the first fixture 4-1 and followed it up with a 4-0 win at the Old Rec ground. Phil Griffiths (pictured) was the scorer of the first Vale goal against Carlisle. It took until 1964 for Vale to lose a home game against the Cumbrians.

Archive

Archive part one –

This week we took a look back at the the first meeting between the two sides back in 1929. It was a match which saw Vale continue some blistering form on the pitch but having to confront tragedy off it. Read it here

Archive part two –

Some shots of a previous encounter at Vale Park back in 2019… it saw Ricky Miller sent-off and sub Mark Harris make his debut. It ended 1-0 to Carlisle.

Brief history

Formed in 1904, Carlisle were elected into the Football League in 1928. The club have had one season in the top-flight (1974-75). Their rise to the top-flight was called “the greatest feat in the history of the game” by no less than Bill Shankly. Sadly the club was relegated out of the League in 2004 but they managed to return at the end of the next season.

Club records

• Record sale: Matt Jansen, £1.5m to Crystal Palace
• Biggest win: 8-0 v Hartlepool Utd, 1928
• Biggest loss: 11-1 v Hull City, 1939

Your views

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