Port Vale vs Lincoln

[Luke Imp]

Can't imagine the team will be approaching it like this, but it's felt a laid back week after the midweek results. Supporters will have been looking on this game differently had Mansfield and Swindon won.

Again, we're without GK Josh Vickers but he's the only injury.

I don't think there's a massive need to freshen things up. It's not as if we've played Sunday and then Wednesday, so there's been enough recovery time.

Few decisions for DC to make because Wharton was in fantastic form at CB but was cup-tied for the weekend and Bostwick gave his usual performance at the weekend back there. I'm half expecting Whitehouse to miss out (probably harshly), Wharton back at CB to try and match Pope up height wise and then Bostwick back in CM to free Frecklington up. Possibly Anderson in for Rowe as well.

Still have reservations over 4-3-3 in as much as it doesn't give us as much going forward. Suits the defence and midfield but not really the front three, particularly Rhead who plays better in a deeper role and Green who isn't as effective out wide albeit still scored 3 in 4 I think.

A win here sets us up nicely for Wycombe on Tuesday.

 

[valefan16]

Could do with a result to get the job done here after being mugged last week by some real bad luck and dire refereeing.

Losing Monty for the season is a huge blow so need to see who we can get to fill in at left back with Pughy still suspended. May even go 3 at the back and play Gibbons and Hanno at LWB and RWB.

Need to avoid any silly free kicks around the area as we've mentioned all week. Despite our poor run we haven't lost many in recent months (2 in 9 games, 2 at home in 4 months now) so I am hopeful we can get a point which would be our seventh draw in ten if we do!

1-1 Pope and Rhead in the battle of the ex Stoke Sunday League brutes.

 

[Devon_Lad]

Come on Vale, smash them.

 

[darren gregory]

Generally am always hopeful and as VF16 says we have been okay ish at home.
But got a bad feeling about this, Smith doesn't like physical forwards and has generally been owned by experienced players this season.
Sadly I fancy 1-3 , but as per most weeks none of the bottom teams seemingly want to win either .

 

[Luke Imp]

Howe been playing?

 

[darren gregory]

Howe been playing?

No mate a real strange one. In January we signed him permanent and 3 loan centre halves, bizarrely he hasn't been given a game yet all 3 of the loanees have featured.
Can't profess to know the first thing about him but the mere fact he is our player and under contract next season makes it weird that he hasn't had a chance.
Think he came on at Cheltenham when we were 3 or 4-1 down with 15 mins left.

 

[valefan16]

Howe been playing?

Made 1 appearance but I don't recall it!

 

[valefan16]

Generally am always hopeful and as VF16 says we have been okay ish at home.
But got a bad feeling about this, Smith doesn't like physical forwards and has generally been owned by experienced players this season.
Sadly I fancy 1-3 , but as per most weeks none of the bottom teams seemingly want to win either .

Smith owned Akinfenwa three weeks ago... depends which Smith we get as he has been more inconsistent this season compared to last against far better strikers.

 

[darren gregory]

Smith owned Akinfenwa three weeks ago... depends which Smith we get as he has been more inconsistent this season compared to last against far better strikers.

Hence I put the word generally !

 

[valefan16]

Hence I put the word generally !

Been a disappointment as we were all expecting the next £1 Million player but time is on his side. Could really do with Howkins for Rhead, is his knee op one thats needed imminently or will he be able to play do you know?

 

[darren gregory]

It's a game that has an added edge due to the sizeable away support.
Should make for feisty atmosphere and environment.
All good and much better than last week's morgue against Crawley and their hardy bunch of 81.

 

[darren gregory]

Been a disappointment as we were all expecting the next £1 Million player but time is on his side. Could really do with Howkins for Rhead, is his knee op one thats needed imminently or will he be able to play do you know?

Reading between the lines off Aspin I think he'll play through the pain barrier and have operation when he goes back to WBA, been a bit of a Colossus after his dodgy debut

 

[valefan16]

Reading between the lines off Aspin I think he'll play through the pain barrier and have operation when he goes back to WBA, been a bit of a Colossus after his dodgy debut

Exactly why he is needed tomorrow. Would like to sign him if possible.

 

[valefan16]

It's a game that has an added edge due to the sizeable away support.
Should make for feisty atmosphere and environment.
All good and much better than last week's morgue against Crawley and their hardy bunch of 81.

No doubt bring our our idiots.

 

[darren gregory]

No doubt bring our our idiots.

Yes that's the downside obviously.
Mind you Chesterfield passed off peacefully, the two bits of trouble this season were both games where we conceded injury time equalisers .
Hopefully it'll be trouble free and we can get something....if and it's a big if Chesterfield don't beat Mansfield then it's almost a free hit for us but Mansfield are shocking since Flitcroft took over

 

[valefan16]

Yes that's the downside obviously.
Mind you Chesterfield passed off peacefully, the two bits of trouble this season were both games where we conceded injury time equalisers .
Hopefully it'll be trouble free and we can get something....if and it's a big if Chesterfield don't beat Mansfield then it's almost a free hit for us but Mansfield are shocking since Flitcroft took over

Well... we have Mansfield next week so we would be bound to end their fruitless run! Chesterfield and Barnet loss and a Vale win, jobs a good un, get the cigars out!

 

[Buxton Vale]

Would have fancied us to get something out of this game, but the current crop of injuries have weakened us. I'm still hoping for a point to get us over the line, but it will be hard won against a strong opposition.

Heres hoping that other results go our way.

 

[Youpies]

Guard of honour for the EFL trophy champions?

 

[Andy Proctor]

Made 1 appearance but I don't recall it!

Came on at cheltenham he was shit but so was everyone

 

[JJ1532]

Guard of honour for the EFL trophy champions?

I do hope so. Along with these sorts of scenes:

 

[Andy Proctor]

No doubt bring our our idiots.

Doubt it be the same 3900 home fans like last week

 

[Andy Proctor]

Vale are that shite at the moment that im more interested in the grand national than this game.

 

[valefan16]

Doubt it be the same 3900 home fans like last week

Dreadful considering the offer that Lincoln is free if you went last week! Oh well got my free ticket for tomorrow so only the fuel from Leicestershire to lose if we don’t get a result!

 

[Andy Proctor]

Dreadful considering the offer that Lincoln is free if you went last week! Oh well got my free ticket for tomorrow so only the fuel from Leicestershire to lose if we don’t get a result!

It was a poor offer in my opinion. Trying commit you to go 2 games in a week and pay full whack initially for crawley that aint an attractive game. Should have made it 10 quid for the 1 game including away fans for either this game or the chesterfield one. Also people arnt interested in going when its 1 win in 17 games.

 

[valefan16]

Or have this game free if you went Chesterfield which would have encouraged more

 

[Luke Imp]

Guard of honour for the EFL trophy champions?

Hope not. We had it twice last season and it'd be a little embarrassing to have it three times in less than a year...

 

[valefan16]

Howkins starting is a boost although Davis at left back isn’t! Two up front which is a surprise although with his performance for the reserves I guess Anton was always going to come in.

If we’d been that positive against Crawley this would be virtually a dead rubber!

 

[kieran_vale]

0-0 at half time. With the scores elsewhere that's satisfactory.

 

[valefan16]

Decent battle first half. Could easily have a couple having been a toe nail from scoring twice. Dealt with them well so far but so seem to have an error in us.

 

[kieran_vale]

1-0 Vale through Kay.