Match Thread: Port Vale v Lincoln City

[JohnJames]

LEFT BACK,,,,,,,,,IN THE DRESSING ROOM!

Haven’t heard that one for 97years:laugh:

[wwindsor]

Just a mention about Nathan Smith today. He was part of a very good second half defensive display. The amount of times Rhead pushed, grabbed, pulled and man handled him was rediculas. The linesman just kept putting his thumb up!. After the comments from last weeks game i thought he played really well for a lad who is only early twenties.

Howkins and Smith would be my first names on the team sheet, hopefully next season as well!!!.

Well played Smithy lad...

[Loggerheads Sage]

Tremendous effort by the lads today against difficult opponents. Very committed. One who is absent from the forum tonight once said that Aspo had lost the players - well, i guess he must have found them again!! Be nice if he ate some humble pie. From where we were when Aspo took over, when survival was the only thing that mattered and given the problems that he has encountered - i think he has done well. Some terrific individual performances, Hornby, Kay, Howkins, and Gibbo in particular. Feel a little sorry for Davis playing out of position but really he isn't good enough wherever he plays. Useful squad player at best. Relief is the overriding emotion tonight. Not at all surprised that that ref from last week has caused outrage again. Being a cynical old accountant i just wonder if that us and Barnsley are smallish clubs in biggish stadiums offers him the chance to get his stats up and prove that he is not a "homer"? I just can't imagine him giving those decisions at OT or Anfield somehow! Like others was disappointed and happy with Lincolns performance. Thought the chuckle brothers were basically mard arses. UTV

[JohnJames]

Danny was Gutted

https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/sport/football/match-reports/match-report-lincoln-city-brought-1457795

[PV1973]

Comparing this to the away game at Lincoln and when we played them at their place we struggled to deal with their physicality and intensity. Their main tactic is to hit it over the full backs early for runners or to rely on Rhead to win the headers, but today even when we didn’t win the first ball we dealt with the second ball and really didnt give them much in the way of chances. We had to stand up and be counted for a hard test physically.

 

Hornby looked assured throughout, his handling was good, his kicking was good, he didn’t rush, was comfortable having it off the back 4 and produced an amazing save to keep us ahead.

 

Gibbons defended well both on the right and the left, today he showed his value as a natural full back who can defend, today wasn’t about bombing on often, it was about being disciplined. Some excellent defensive work and showed again that despite his inexperience that he can hold his own at this level.

 

Howkins was arguably man of the match, good in the air, won a lot of battles, looked confident on the ball, no frills and was a physical presence we needed.

 

Smith was much like Howkins but without getting on the ball, it was the perfect game for him, a game where he just needed to battle, head it and kick it and just defend.

 

Davis looked uncomfortable all the time he was on. He looked unnatural there, but early doors he got forward quite well and showed some quick feet, but was soon found out by their winger. The consensus seems to be he was injured.

 

Worrall seemed to have one of those games where everything was going wrong especially in the first half when it all seemed very frantic. But second half he was an excellent outlet and what a ball in for the goal.

 

Tonge seemed to tire after an hour, but he still kept trying to get on the ball and keep it. You can tell by watching him play what saw him play higher and that’s his confidence in wanting get on the ball , it’s just that at times you can see he’s hit that stage where his mind knows what he wants to do but his body can’t get there to do it. Still he put a shift in and gave it everything.

 

Kay was excellent shielding the back 4, he won a lot of headers and was disruptive. Watch him when we dont have the ball and he puts a lot of work across the pitch to try and protect the defence. Great header for the goal too.

 

Hannant was like worrall in the first half, looked to be having a game where nothing was working, he looked a bit tired first half too, but second half he was an outlet and put a shift in down the wing.

 

Pope got battered yet again for the cause. He was up against a couple of strong Center half’s but he still gave as good as he got. It’s a pity he and Forrester weren’t on the same page. We looked better with whitfield buzzing around him.

 

Forrester didn’t really show a lot, at times he was too far away from Pope for them to link up. But again he got little change from their defenders.

 

Raglan came on and did well, steady and like the other defenders was up for the battle. It’ll be interesting to see if Aspin sticks with the same full backs next game or goes Gibbo on the right and Pugh on the left.

 

Whitfield made a bit of a difference, someone running from deeeper at the defenders is harder to play against than an out and out striker sometimes and it was the right thing to do as the game got a bit more stretched.

[Guest]

Must say i have no idea how many home fans were there but to man woman and child the whole ground was very supportive of the energy ,endeavour and heart all the Vale players put in and yes it wasnt a sparkling performance but it was a very good one with Howskins and Smith ,Kay,Hannant , excellent and the rest doing there jobs very well .

Hornby 7

Gibbons 8 Howskins9 Smith 8 Davis 5 Worrall 7 Tonge 7 Kay 9 Hannant 9 (my star man he never stops two goal attempts especially the lob which looked a very good attempt which would have being a wonderful goal and first half after Forrester had two goal bound shots blocked a really good effort again if hits the net a wonderful goal.

Pope 7

Forrester 6

Subs Raglan 7 Whitfield 7 Barnett 7

Aspin 10 who would have thought we could handle Lincoln but we did and yes overall at times we maybe a tad fortunate but bringing Howskins and subbing Davis and bringing whitfield on won us the game .

One more thing i thought Lincolns fans were excellent even though they lost there support top notch .

UTV one point required now be certain as Chesterfield play Barnet last game so Chesterfield need win there last five games and Barnet need score a hatful to finish above us .

So a must win game was yesterday and we did it again i suggest Norm Smurfwaite either sells up or lets the opposition fans in for very low prices as everytime a club this season brings a good away following our players have delivered yet v Accrington (88)Crawley (87)away fans we havent .

[sheffield61]

A big thank you to Neil Aspin for saving our league status, just need to get the popcorn in now for tomorrow nights West Ham match......

[Aussie Rules]

You all know I'm a positive soul in all things Port Vale, but just this once I'm putting on hold our L2 status until we have absolutely and unequivocally the required points and goal difference safely tucked away in the bag

[onestepatatime]

You all know I'm a positive soul in all things Port Vale, but just this once I'm putting on hold our L2 status until we have absolutely and unequivocally the required points and goal difference safely tucked away in the bag

Get your red wine out you pessimistic soul! Enjoy Vale's continuance in Division 2. With Aspin's guidance and hopefully a good budget next season we are on our way back.

[Conrad]

Must say i have no idea how many home fans were there but to man woman and child the whole ground was very supportive of the energy ,endeavour and heart all the Vale players put in and yes it wasnt a sparkling performance but it was a very good one with Howskins and Smith ,Kay,Hannant , excellent and the rest doing there jobs very well .

Hornby 7

Gibbons 8 Howskins9 Smith 8 Davis 5 Worrall 7 Tonge 7 Kay 9 Hannant 9 (my star man he never stops two goal attempts especially the lob which looked a very good attempt which would have being a wonderful goal and first half after Forrester had two goal bound shots blocked a really good effort again if hits the net a wonderful goal.

Pope 7

Forrester 6

Subs Raglan 7 Whitfield 7 Barnett 7

Aspin 10 who would have thought we could handle Lincoln but we did and yes overall at times we maybe a tad fortunate but bringing Howskins and subbing Davis and bringing whitfield on won us the game .

One more thing i thought Lincolns fans were excellent even though they lost there support top notch .

UTV one point required now be certain as Chesterfield play Barnet last game so Chesterfield need win there last five games and Barnet need score a hatful to finish above us .

So a must win game was yesterday and we did it again i suggest Norm Smurfwaite either sells up or lets the opposition fans in for very low prices as everytime a club this season brings a good away following our players have delivered yet v Accrington (88)Crawley (87)away fans we havent .

 

A 7 for Barnett, he was only on for 1 minute.

[onestepatatime]

A 7 for Barnett, he was only on for 1 minute.

 

[mickyferns]

Just seen the goal cracking header that, fair play to Kay he's contributed alot more than I thought he would

[Jacob_123]

Just seen the goal cracking header that, fair play to Kay he's contributed alot more than I thought he would

 

What about Aspin keeping us up from a dire position? Not bad considering he’s lost the dressing room!

[mbycars]

Must say i have no idea how many home fans were there but to man woman and child the whole ground was very supportive of the energy ,endeavour and heart all the Vale players put in and yes it wasnt a sparkling performance but it was a very good one with Howskins and Smith ,Kay,Hannant , excellent and the rest doing there jobs very well .

Hornby 7

Gibbons 8 Howskins9 Smith 8 Davis 5 Worrall 7 Tonge 7 Kay 9 Hannant 9 (my star man he never stops two goal attempts especially the lob which looked a very good attempt which would have being a wonderful goal and first half after Forrester had two goal bound shots blocked a really good effort again if hits the net a wonderful goal.

Pope 7

Forrester 6

Subs Raglan 7 Whitfield 7 Barnett 7

Aspin 10 who would have thought we could handle Lincoln but we did and yes overall at times we maybe a tad fortunate but bringing Howskins and subbing Davis and bringing whitfield on won us the game .

One more thing i thought Lincolns fans were excellent even though they lost there support top notch .

UTV one point required now be certain as Chesterfield play Barnet last game so Chesterfield need win there last five games and Barnet need score a hatful to finish above us .

So a must win game was yesterday and we did it again i suggest Norm Smurfwaite either sells up or lets the opposition fans in for very low prices as everytime a club this season brings a good away following our players have delivered yet v Accrington (88)Crawley (87)away fans we havent .

 

I may be being pedantic but you keep mis-spelling Howkins name. Also how can you give 7 for a player who was only on the pitch for a minute?

[ELDERBEZZA]

His hold up play in corner to take up time was excellent.