Ronan Curtis netted after just 19 seconds but visitors Wrexham came back strongly to win and reach the quarter-finals of the Football League Trophy. Here’s our match report.
Team news
Darren Moore made a host of changes including a debut for goalkeeper Nathan Broome, a first start of the season for Rhys Walters and the return of central defender Jesse Debrah. Nathan Smith and Lorent Tolaj were part of a strong Vale bench.
First-Half
The Valiants took the lead within seconds of the start but it ended all-square at the break after a Wrexham equaliser.
It was Ronan Curtis who gave Vale the perfect start after nineteen minutes but the goal came from a surging run from Rico Richards. The forward’s ball deflected off a Wrexham defender into the path of Curtis who made no mistake with a low drive past the keeper. It was also 2-0 on eight minutes when Shorrock surged forward unchallenged but his drive went wide.
However, there was a blow for the Valiants on ten minutes when Clark went down with an injury. He was replaced by Tom Sang. Richards then threatened again after a 1-2 with Curtis but his close-range shot was saved.
Vale were made to pay for those missed chances when the visitors equalised on the half-hour mark. A deflected long-range shot came into the Vale box and Cannon kept his cool to control the ball and steer it past Broome from close range. The Vale keeper was then called into action on 41 minutes as he saved well from Ashfield’s drive. The Valiants were next to threaten with Shorrock’s late cross shot grazing the bar. It was all-square at the break will everything apparently to play for in the second period.
Half-time: Port Vale 1-1 Wrexham
Second-Half
However, Wrexham showed their pedigree in the second-half as they scored three second-half goals to progress into the quarter-final stages.
The second period began in equally dramatic fashion but this time it was the visitors with the early goal. Longman got past Shorrock on 48 minutes and his low cross was smashed home by teenager Ashfield, giving Broome no chance.
In a further echo of the first-half, Vale then suffered another injury blow as Richards, who had enjoyed a good game, was forced off.
The Valiants tried to force an equaliser with Harper blazing wide on the hour mark after being set up by Hackford. However, the visitors made it safe on 62 minutes when Lee netted from close range after another pass from the influential Longman. Vale very nearly clawed one back but Heneghan’s header from a corner was well saved. On 79 minutes, Wrexham could have made it four but Broome saved Palmer’s spectacular effort. They did two minutes later when Faal slid in to make it four to the visitors.
It was now a matter of damage limitation for the home side and it was nearly five when Faal netted again only for the goal to be disallowed.
So, Port Vale exit the final cup competition of the season and now all the focus must be on the League campaign.
Full-time: Port Vale 1-4 Wrexham
Summary
What do you want out of this sort of game? Fringe players to impress? Cup progress? No serious injuries? Well, it’s only one out of three for Vale. There were some decent performances and some valuable match minutes for players. However, Vale did exit the cup and endured a second-half horror show at the back as they shipped three goals (and it could have been more). Perhaps more worryingly, they also suffered injuries to Clark and Richards. Overall, it certainly wasn’t the night Vale fans would have wanted.
Players
This was a chance for some of the players not starting in the League to impress and several did catch the eye. Rico Richards looked bright upfront until he picked up an injury while team mate Ronan Curtis was arguably Vale’s best player. Goalkeeper Nathan Broome could do little about any of the Wrexham goals. Rhys Walters clearly needs more gametime but grew into the game. However, Antwoine Hackford was a largely peripheral figure upfront. Having said that, the defending in the second-half left a lot to be desired.
Stats
Starting XI: Broome – Debrah, Heneghan, Hart – Clark (Sang), Lowe, Walters (Croasdale), Shorrock (Tolaj) – Richards (Harper) – Hackford, Curtis
Subs: Amos, Smith, John
Goals: Curtis (1)
Bookings: none
Attendance: 1,621 (407 visitors)
Competition: Football League Trophy
What did you think of the game and the performance? Scroll down and submit a comment.
They were pathetic just like the manager,I really don’t know how he can take his salary, he’s Vales worst manager ever, Carol is taking the urine, they will not go up with this manager, to me it seems like there is friction in the camp, get shut of him and get a Butlins red coat in.They were not a team tonight, just a squad of strangers.It does do one thing though, we are in no competitions now so has NO EXCUSES,for the fire team tactics he uses.
I don’t think any of this team are challenging for a starting spot
Why play Mitch, when Sang is suspended for 3 league matches. Surely Sang should of played tonight and saved Mitch for the early kick off this Saturday??
Mitch is also suspended from League games after his red. I presume the move was to give Clark game time in a competition that Sang and himself were eligible for while resting Kyle John who will play on Saturday.
I didn’t attend the game , but I think this competition should be abolished . Simple as that .
Few seem to rate the League Trophy Cup competition, devalued by inviting EPL Academies to participate. Supporters don’t rate it, they stay away in droves with last night’s gate of only 1,620. Clubs don’t take it seriously at all, selecting fringe players, reserves, and others lacking game time due to injuries, league suspension, or lack of first team duty. Any real chance the Vale had of reaching the Quarter Finals (for what it’s worth) was scuppered when Moore deliberately selected an under strength team.
Moore’s selection just baffle me more and more. The club needs to be criticised first of all, as they think the paying supporters should not be told anything, where was Chislett yet again? Also personally, I would have thought both Byers and the Crystal Palace lad would have been given an hour seen as Moore played them (oncoming subs) ahead of others on Saturday, surely they need game time ahead of others if he’s thinking of playing them. Both Clark and Sang need not have played in favour of their potential replacements needing the game time. For me other than Curtis and possibly Richards, there weren’t any positives to come out of the game at all. Walters looked dreadful, Harper looks less and less interested in the games the more I see of him. Then poor Shorrock was torn to pieces in the second half by Wrexham’s No 47. It just goes to show how difficult it is to expect a young lad to play wingback when coming up against an experienced wide player. Moores decision to send Plant out on loan yet again in favour of bringing in younger loanees with no league experience just doesn’t make sense. What stud out last night more than anything was the quality of ball Wrexham got into the box especially in the second half, it makes the scoring of goals a lot easier! Vale under Moore seem happy to lump or swing a continuous supply of what I consider to be, Sunday morning high balls into the box in hope more than anything. No wonder we don’t score many goals.
Confusing team selection and once again the manager clueless on tactics. If we don’t make the playoffs the he must go. 18 games to go we must aim for at least 40 points and that now seems a tall order.
Just read back my comments “stood” not “stud”.