Saturday 5th December - 1st full fixtures this season with spectators

[Hurrikeen]

6th away win in a row for us. God we are such a weird team.

None the less, deserved win away to Cambridge.

 

[valefan16]

That last line is something that a lot of Vale fans have quite rightly criticised Askey for. Think a lot of it comes down to the fact our plan A which is all we really did just matches up well against your one if that makes sense. Got to say that lad Santos (and it's only the one time have seen him in fairness) looked possibly the worst centreback I've seen since we had big Exodus.

Thought Isgrove looked good for you when he came on. Rated him when he played against us for Swindon and was a little surprised they let him go.

Bolton looked good going forward but that’s the worst defensive performance I’ve seen in years, worse than Wigan’s the other week against us. We’ve scored 6 in a game we’ve set up defensively and had 4 or 5 chances that we should of added too. They need to sort that out because Santos was terrible!

 

[Carver]

We won 1-0 today but I doubt anyone here cares at that scoreline.

 

[shoddycollins]

Bradford looked quite poor... not the worst team we've seen in terms of quality of player, but definitely the worst managed. A few of their players look decent but they played as though they'd just been sent out onto the pitch with no team talk at all. McCall looks like he's given up; barely changed from his plan A to hit the ball foward and hope it fell to a Bradford player and spent the entire match in the stand with his hands on his hips. At full time he just walked off to the corner without waiting to speak to any of his players. Surely on borrowed time.

We have managed to win ugly, which is good to see as normally when we play like this, not as slick as usual, we end up losing, and that was holding us back because we can't hound everyone off the pitch every time.

 

[hellogregory]

I hope port vale fans wait for one or two more wins before announcing promotion again.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Amazing to be back in the ground, extremely frustrating result again.

All the best chances against Salford, a clear penalty given as a dive, and a couple of sitters missed. Obviously plays into the "Dunn out" narrative, but he didn't get a lot wrong. An unstoppable goal from Ash Hunter was the difference, but it's another defeat and can't see what can be changed simply to turn it around.

 

[hellogregory]

Bradford looked quite poor... not the worst team we've seen in terms of quality of player, but definitely the worst managed. A few of their players look decent but they played as though they'd just been sent out onto the pitch with no team talk at all. McCall looks like he's given up; barely changed from his plan A to hit the ball foward and hope it fell to a Bradford player and spent the entire match in the stand with his hands on his hips. At full time he just walked off to the corner without waiting to speak to any of his players. Surely on borrowed time.

We have managed to win ugly, which is good to see as normally when we play like this, not as slick as usual, we end up losing.

Bradford just recently gave the manager a new contract. I thought we were there for the taking first half as we were slightly off it, but Bradford didn’t manage a shot on goal today.

 

[Valeite]

Deserved win for Carlisle. So, so easy for them. Buzzing for Dagenham away next season.

What is happening at Bradford, Cas? Carlisle looked a good counter attacking side at Vale but they had 20 shots and 9 on target to Bradfords` 0, something must be up.

 

[Vale on Trent]

Up the fucking Vale. Where that result came from I have no idea but we badly needed it. To score 6 goals away at Bolton in any league is no mean feat. Bolton were actually pretty decent going forward and our defence still looks shaky. However there defence was abysmal and we looked ruthless for once.

It’s just a shame we weren’t able to witness it in the stands as that would have been one hell of an away day. Manchester all dayer and thousands of Vale in attendance.

The most important thing is that we’ve stopped the rot and it’s imperative that we kick on and go on a run now.

November has been full of depressing Saturday’s following Vale and being in lockdown but the beers will taste sweeter tonight.

 

[Casey]

3-1 Crawley, a spectacular bottle job I must admit.

Got to agree with that. 1-3 with ten minutes to go and draw 3-3 and should have lost as well.

First half we were awful. Start to finish. Just awful! Should have been 2 or 3 more goals from Mansfield.

Brought Watters on the start of the second half and we played for fifteen-twenty minutes. Scored three goals. Mansfield keeper made a blinding save. Went back to sleep again. Mansfield from being down and out suddenly thought "we can get something here" and proceeded to batter us.

Crawley's subs (after Watters) succeeded in making our poor midfield even worse. Jack Powell had been strolling around giving the ball away all afternoon was left on while Dannie Bulman who was tracking back, getting stuck in and generally doing OK was subbed. Worse, his replacement Matthews flitted around like a fairy in a woodland glade, very pretty but essentially useless. Nichols was replaced by McNerney to waste time and he stood in the middle of the park confusing everyone which meant Cook had time to volley in from twenty five yards.

If you see the highlights there are some good goals, one good save and a Mansfield midfielder has a miss of the season moment.

We need some better midfielders and a way to get Watters fit enough to play a whole game. He was in trouble after 75 minutes. He on come on at 45...scored two goals though.

Casey

 

[masi51]

That last line is something that a lot of Vale fans have quite rightly criticised Askey for. Think a lot of it comes down to the fact our plan A which is all we really did just matches up well against your one if that makes sense. Got to say that lad Santos (and it's only the one time have seen him in fairness) looked possibly the worst centreback I've seen since we had big Exodus.

Thought Isgrove looked good for you when he came on. Rated him when he played against us for Swindon and was a little surprised they let him go.

Santos has had three shockers and about 8 games where he lets very little past.......Played in lge 1 for a couple of seasons and the National; league for about three seasons.......certainly plays to both standards.
Isgrove was injured/ not fit and has only been around the first team the last three games. Will wait and see what Evatt says for himself.
We are not good enough to play the system we do

 

[masi51]

Up the fucking Vale. Where that result came from I have no idea but we badly needed it. To score 6 goals away at Bolton in any league is no mean feat. Bolton were actually pretty decent going forward and our defensive still looks shaky. However there defence was abysmal and we looked ruthless for once.

It’s just a shame we weren’t able to witness it in the stands as that would have been one hell of an away day. Manchester all dayer and thousands of Vale in attendance.

The most important thing is that we’ve stopped the rot and it’s imperative that we kick on and go on a run now.

November has been full of depressing Saturday’s following Vale and being in lockdown but the beers will taste sweeter tonight.

Enjoy it lad its why we go the football after all !

 

[masi51]

I am here win,draw lose................Anyone seen Devon lad in the last hour !!

 

[Carver]

Amazing to be back in the ground, extremely frustrating result again.

All the best chances against Salford, a clear penalty given as a dive, and a couple of sitters missed. Obviously plays into the "Dunn out" narrative, but he didn't get a lot wrong. An unstoppable goal from Ash Hunter was the difference, but it's another defeat and can't see what can be changed simply to turn it around.

Your team is full of fannies, you're gonna need some real dirty L2 players with experience and a proven manager if you want to stay up.

I hear Graham Westley is available..

 

[leedsvaliant]

Crazy game. As many have said, Bolton look good going forward but were terrible at the back. So open, we just kept cutting through them at will. 3 at the back takes really good players to master and I don't think anyone in this league is good enough.

The 3 goals conceeded takes the shine off it a little bit but it's a win to stop the rot.

 

[shoddycollins]

I am here win,draw lose................Anyone seen Devon lad in the last hour !!

He does make a good point.

 

[Carver]

He does make a good point.

True and notice how there is suddenly a load of Port Vale fans appearing out of the woodwork.

 

[kieran_vale]

I hope port vale fans wait for one or two more wins before announcing promotion again.

Right now am just happy we've managed to get some points on the board after the first time in ages. However if we continue to defend the way we did certainly in the last half an hour today promotion is something that definitely won't be happening for us.

At least for now that may quieten some of them who have been calling to replace Askey. I've never been one of them but will admit some of what have seen recently has made it harder to defend if you could at all. If I was him I'd use this opportunity to give the team a good bollocking for the last half hour just to set a standard to the players before they get ahead of themselves as have been prone to in the past.

Do want to say how pleased I am with Devante Rodney today. Since joining you can see the physical attributes are the it is just more the decision making etc but today he played the central role perfectly and made the right decision at the right time. I would give him an extended run there now see what he's got.

 

[valefan16]

True and notice how there is suddenly a load of Port Vale fans appearing out of the woodwork.

Most of us have been here depressing away!

 

[Super_horns]

Were defenders on strike today?

 

[Boz]

Are there any Walsall fans on here these days? They'd certainly have something to crow about on today's showing.

 

[valefan16]

Right now am just happy we've managed to get some points on the board after the first time in ages. However if we continue to defend the way we did certainly in the last half an hour today promotion is something that definitely won't be happening for us.

At least for now that may quieten some of them who have been calling to replace Askey. I've never been one of them but will admit some of what have seen recently has made it harder to defend if you could at all. If I was him I'd use this opportunity to give the team a good bollocking for the last half hour just to set a standard to the players before they get ahead of themselves as have been prone to in the past.

Do want to say how pleased I am with Devante Rodney today. Since joining you can see the physical attributes is more the decision making etc but today he played the central role perfectly and made the right decision at the right time. I would give him an extended run there now see what he's got.

Just chuffed to bits, only beaten Bolton twice (once a cup game) in 24 meetings so to win there is pleasing.

After the agony against Tranmere, Newport and somehow losing to Scunny and Orient in the most frustrating of circumstances I’m just delighted to feel victory again and the manner of it probably softens some of those painful November match days.

Dave was unplayable today as was Monty to be fair. Worldie last week but that finish today with the composure and accuracy on the chip was just as good.

 

[Fuzzyvalefan]

Right now am just happy we've managed to get some points on the board after the first time in ages. However if we continue to defend the way we did certainly in the last half an hour today promotion is something that definitely won't be happening for us.

At least for now that may quieten some of them who have been calling to replace Askey. I've never been one of them but will admit some of what have seen recently has made it harder to defend if you could at all. If I was him I'd use this opportunity to give the team a good bollocking for the last half hour just to set a standard to the players before they get ahead of themselves as have been prone to in the past.

Do want to say how pleased I am with Devante Rodney today. Since joining you can see the physical attributes are the it is just more the decision making etc but today he played the central role perfectly and made the right decision at the right time. I would give him an extended run there now see what he's got.

Agree with your comments about Rodney. He played like a dogs dick last week and I was gutted when I saw he was starting but fair play to the lad, he was very good today and put in a real shift too.

 

[Cas]

What is happening at Bradford, Cas? Carlisle looked a good counter attacking side at Vale but they had 20 shots and 9 on target to Bradfords` 0, something must be up.

Poor squad and a poor manager unfortunately. Don't think it's any more complex than that. We've had quite a few injuries this season; We've been without Novak for a while who is the only forward capable of scoring so that hasn't helped. McCall's tactics and subs lately have left me scratching my head. He's seems to be desperate and out of ideas. Chucking centre backs up front for the last fifteen minutes of games for example. 1-0 down today and he takes off our CM pairing for two defenders. Lovely stuff.

Four of our next five games are away. I was reading that we've won one league game away in 14 months.

And yes, we've just given Stuart McCall a contract extension. 23rd in League Two. Mental.

 

[Cas]

Bradford looked quite poor... not the worst team we've seen in terms of quality of player, but definitely the worst managed. A few of their players look decent but they played as though they'd just been sent out onto the pitch with no team talk at all. McCall looks like he's given up; barely changed from his plan A to hit the ball foward and hope it fell to a Bradford player and spent the entire match in the stand with his hands on his hips. At full time he just walked off to the corner without waiting to speak to any of his players. Surely on borrowed time.

We have managed to win ugly, which is good to see as normally when we play like this, not as slick as usual, we end up losing, and that was holding us back because we can't hound everyone off the pitch every time.

Not sure about the winning ugly part. Though, you should have been more than a goal up. Couple of decent saves from our keeper and a few chances wasted by you lot.

 

[shoddycollins]

Were defenders on strike today?

Not at all... one of our centre backs scored.

 

[chipmunx]

well... 1st half we started 4-4-2 and the football by both sides was poor. We created little, but still Reid missed an open goal and Quigley got booked when the spineless ref should have given us a penalty.
2nd half they score after 5 mins - not sure if he meant it or not - but Dixon didn't look like he had any chance with it.
Not long after we went back to 3 at the back and to be honest we created a lot of chances. Quigley should have equalised straight away but scuffed it wide. Reid should have scored but hit it too close to the keeper. In amongst all this twice Quigley was rugby tackled to the ground and the ref who was possibly even worse than Tuesday's one bottled it.
A very frustrating and cold match to watch - yet another could have/should have match.
The 4-4-2 experiment ultimately didn't work - although Platt and Wilson in defence played well.
We desperately need Hardcastle back in midfield and a bit of luck.... because we are getting none at present. We could also do with a decent referee - but they seam to be a rarity - even the National League ones were better than these idiots.

 

[Chris FGR]

Ground out a 1-0 away win again, Harrogate didn't look great although their no. 14 Keirnan caused us a few problems. Few nerves in the last 10 but saw it out.

 

[shoddycollins]

Not sure about the winning ugly part. Though, you should have been more than a goal up. Couple of decent saves from our keeper and a few chances wasted by you lot.

It wasn't a terrible performance by us, but normally we only win when we're excellent, it's probably the worst we've played so far this season and won.

Your keeper did look like one of your bright spots, as did that Samuel lad. Understand both are loanees though. Good luck with your survival battle but you may need a new manager.

 

[Cas]

It wasn't a terrible performance by us, but normally we only win when we're excellent, it's probably the worst we've played so far this season and won.

Your keeper did look like one of your bright spots, as did that Samuel lad. Understand both are loanees though. Good luck with your survival battle but you may need a new manager.

Samuels is a loanee but the keeper is ours.

Good luck to you too for rest of the season. Should be up there come the end of the season.