Match Thread: Port Vale v Exeter City

[Warren]

1 hour ago, JRC said:

Much needed win. We had a little more going forward; perhaps showing the importance of us having some better players back and them being without one or two. Still needs to be backed up on Tuesday. One win in 8 still looks a bad run, two on the bounce and we could be on a roll. Despite us being " worse" than last season we looked a much better side than one which was comfortably better than us last season!

This was Forrester's best game by a mile. Previously he always had a mistake in him; today he concentrated throughout. Excellent goal, which he started with a very good pass to put Massey in. 

Morecombe will be no push overs Tuesday. They've had an incredibly tough run of fixtures. They'll be tough, organised and direct. Maybe Proctor and Harrison will start. Be interesting to see how Gibson performs for them. He was the best player on the pitch at Vale Park. I think he's back at leftback at the moment but he looked very strong in midfield. 

On the EFL highlights show the Morecambe keeper made a bad mistake letting a shot squirm under. So shoot on sight. It was also highlighted the loss at home was their first in 10, so I agree this is no pushover. 

[philmpv]

Quick shout for Donnelly, he had a very good game… maybe about to make the step up?
Needs to keep that up but  a glimmer of hope / expectation from me now. Doire go bragh.

He did. It's almost as if young players need time and patience to integrate into a new team and level of football. Who'd have thought it?

[ValeForever.]

Whisper it quietly but... ref was good!

[philpvfc]

11 minutes ago, Valiant62 said:

Quick shout for Donnelly, he had a very good game… maybe about to make the step up?

Needs to keep that up but  a glimmer of hope / expectation from me now. Doire go bragh.

Donnelly had a decent game but was hardly tested, it helped he had Robinson rather than Benning as well who’s movement off the ball is better giving him more of an outlet but some of his distribution was awful, I don’t like the long balls he plays, giving the ball away more often than not. Hopefully after the decent game yesterday we are seeing an improvement but I reserve judgement until watching him play against a decent opposition as he had a similar game against Cheltenham on his debut who were about as bad as Exeter. 

[Trumpingtonvale]

4 minutes ago, ValeForever. said:

Whisper it quietly but... ref was good!

Agree.  Think he was ref for the Ipswich game too and again let the game flow, stamped down/had a word when time wasting raised its head so though quality of yesterday’s football wasn’t as good it was still pretty entertaining compared to what’s been served up recently.

[valefan16]

On the EFL highlights show the Morecambe keeper made a bad mistake letting a shot squirm under. So shoot on sight. It was also highlighted the loss at home was their first in 10, so I agree this is no pushover. 

To be fair their keeper is the best in the league and they’d be down now without him, his save rate (xG against) is phenomenal.

[CAVALIER]

2 minutes ago, valefan16 said:

To be fair their keeper is the best in the league and they’d be down now without him, his save rate (xG against) is phenomenal.

Plus the other 2 goals were deflected I think

[werstayinup]

14 hours ago, ValeForever. said:

I don't really understand the buzz around Robinson today. He was okay but can't remember him doing a great deal other than one good challenge & a fist pump right at the end of the game, which got the Paddock going. Don't get me wrong, I like him, but nowhere near MOTM for me today.

Ojo was on a different level to everybody else first half. Forrester had a good game & he probably edged MOTM based on him bagging the winner as well. Honourable mention for Pett, we look much better with him playing in that natural holding position than when we shoehorn Conlon in there.

Taylor will be a good player for us. I hope he ends the season well & we manage to tie him down next season. He is a goalscorer. 

Taylor is not just that goalscorer we need but he was always in the refs ear and was also one for winding up defenders,this is something we have lacked for a while(also will get his share of free kicks to take pressure off,very clever 😉 ). I like him already

[philmpv]

Taylor is not just that goalscorer we need but he was always in the refs ear and was also one for winding up defenders,this is something we have lacked for a while(also will get his share of free kicks to take pressure off,very clever  ). I like him already

One of the ones he won in the first half was classic Anthony Grant.

[Guitar Ray]

52 minutes ago, Warren said:

Looking at the foul that produced the second yellow. The foul itself wasn't intrinsically bad enough for a yellow. But it did stop an attacking build up which provides a justification. Others say count back does as well. Overall, with hindsight a marginal call by the ref.

Quite simply stupid from their player. It doesn’t have to be a bad challenge to receive a yellow card, the circumstances also come into play.  He stopped a potential breakaway at least a couple of times.  The ref had marked his cards for one foul he got away with previously.  Ironic that they actually improved after going to 10 men and upped their tempo and work rate noticeably.  We didn’t really react to this, not that it mattered in the end.

[werstayinup]

13 hours ago, Warren said:

Robinson has the potential to play at a higher level. But at key moments, often after doing so good stuff, he does something wild. If he could just cut that out he has a good future. I wonder if he's playing in the wrong place. Maybe he should be an attacker and start his dribbling 30 yards further up the pitch. Misplaced crosses can be due to tired at end of run as well as due to poor technique.

Robinson has tenacity,pace and skill(needs to be better defensively but we all know that),I watched him in the warm up and he has no left foot and that was the problem with those wayward crosses yesterday all on his left foot,when he cuts back and used his right his crosses were a lot better. He has a future at Vale thats for sure

[pete vale]

13 hours ago, Valiiant said:

 

There's only one clown here if you genuinely think Benning has been anything close to "tremendous".

There's a reason why he has spent the vast majority of his career at League Two level.

For his work last season and odd games this Benning deserves better, more respect. Since Christmas many have struggled, some have struggled all season for many reasons imo.

[valiant_593]

1 hour ago, philmpv said:

1 hour ago, Valiant62 said:

Quick shout for Donnelly, he had a very good game… maybe about to make the step up?
Needs to keep that up but  a glimmer of hope / expectation from me now. Doire go bragh.

He did. It's almost as if young players need time and patience to integrate into a new team and level of football. Who'd have thought it?

At the same time wasn’t tested. His two decent games he hasn’t been tested, when he has been, he’s struggled. 

[valiant_593]

35 minutes ago, werstayinup said:

Taylor is not just that goalscorer we need but he was always in the refs ear and was also one for winding up defenders,this is something we have lacked for a while(also will get his share of free kicks to take pressure off,very clever 😉 ). I like him already

Definitely seems one of those players his own fans will love but any opposition will hate 

[philmpv]

At the same time wasn’t tested. His two decent games he hasn’t been tested, when he has been, he’s struggled. 

As I would expect of any player having his first taste of men's football in a completely new environment. Point was that it's way to early to write him off, as some have