I think that was our final chance but even so there is something we can take from this going forward. Very encouraged by the second half and I think we are pretty unlucky not to be level.

 

Never nice to lose the first game but I'll come away from this feeling positive. We showed with 10 men and the right players on the pitch we are a pretty good team. I'm not left with any feeling that they are actually a better side than us.

Darren got the starting 11 and formation wrong today. But it will happen, and I'm not going to crucify him for it.

Edited August 2, 2025Aug 2 by Valiiant

1 minute ago, Alan Vit said:

Astonishingly, we have deserved to win this game for our gutsy performance in the second half.

I agree well said 

10 minutes ago, CambridgeDon said:

Not on Sky they don’t - crowd noise is so muted, like watching an illegal stream with constant buffering. Come back iFollow

It is back, in the form of PVTV

After that first half it looked bleak. After that 2nd half display, I've got hope back! 

Can we play like we did in the second half all the times please DM

If Rotherham play like they did in the 2nd half I can see them finishing in the bottom 4.

Edited August 2, 2025Aug 2 by ValiantHan

Didn’t deserve to lose that. Had a fair few chances 2nd half. Moore got that completely wrong. Curtis, Croasdale and to be fair, Ojo were excellent. Clark and Tolaj were very good. 
We have to play that formation; we have to start Croasdale. I do think we’re desperate for a keeper. 
Seriously DM. Play that formation and style 2nd half and we will do very well. 

I’m taking the positive from this. It has to have put to bed the 3-4-3 nonsense already. It took months last year. 
mid he plays 3-4-3 on Thursday then I will have no words. 
just wish we hd a manager that didn’t have it so obviously demonstrated to him constantly. 

Much better second half with the team we should have started with. Clapped them off which I wasn’t expecting after the first half horror show.

Tolaj will bag a lot this season. 

A much better second half

Rotherham are sh*te

Wrong starting line up

Lots to be positive about 2nd half

Tolaj so unlucky

Cracking second half that really thought we were gonna get a point.

We can’t repeat that first half too many times and expect to win but they deserve that standing ovation from the away end for that second half. All I ask from a Vale team and we are very unlucky not to get something today.

Good response 2nd half. Looked like we ran out of steam a little towards the end as Rotherham played every time wasting trick in the book.

I think the message will be we need to be clinical. We had more than enough good situations to get something out of the game.

That team starts, that team wins. Simple. All over them even 10-11. Fantastic effort second half and shows the grit of the team.