The Wonder Of P.V.F.C.: Northampton Town Vs Port Vale Saturday 6th October 2007

Port Vale travelled to Northampton brimming with new found confidence after the 3-0 victory over Cheltenham midweek, but it was the same old defensive slip ups that cost the team after a poor first half display left them with far too much to do in the second forty five minutes. Vale made one change to the midweek team, bringing back Ashley Westwood replacing the suspended Jason Talbot.

Vale started the half well, and could of taken the lead on 5 minutes when McGoldrick, who has settled in well with Rodgers up front, should of shot first time but elected to find space, giving the Northampton center half's time to get back and smother out his effort. He was having plenty of the ball in the first quarter of the game, and should of done better with a header from a Harsley free kick that he placed just over the bar. But it was the home side that struck first on 19 minutes when Henderson broke free down the left and sent in a low cross that was picked out by Kirk and fired home from close range past Anyon at the near post.

The home side started to pressure the Vale defence, and Henderson was causing the back four problems with his runs down the flank. Vale started to put their foot on the ball and play a bit in the home sides half, and Mcgoldrick had decent efforts saved by the keeper on three occasions. But as the Vale pushed to get back into the game it was again the home side that took the initiative and got a second after a mix up at the back. Vale failed to pick up Larkin who attacked down the wing. Vale's back four were struggling to get back from the counter attack, and his low ball across the face of the Vale goal was met by Kirk at the far post and slotted home for his second of the afternoon on 32 minutes.

Vale found themselves 2-0 down without really being outplayed, and were creating much more in the Northampton box than they were in the Vale box. Rodgers was again on fine form and only a fine save from the keeper stopped him from pulling a goal back before half time. But the home side pressed forward again, and it was Kirk who almost had a first half hat-trick but for a fine save from Anyon, after he met another fine cross from Henderson when the Vale defence again let him terrorise them down the left.

Half Time Northampton Town 2 - 0 Port Vale

Glover made a tactical change at the start of the second half, bringing in out of favour winger Tudor to try and salvage something out of the game. Vale switched to a more familiar 4-4-2 line up. After a spell of ten minutes constant pressure from Vale, Tudor proved his worth when he met McGoldrick with a great pass 16 yards out. He dropped his shoulder and turned well, then fired the ball into the top corner for a stunning strike to get a goal back for the Vale.

Tudor began to do to the home side what Henderson had done to the Vale in the first half, and attack down the flank. He almost levelled on 59 minutes when he forced a fine save from the keeper. Then his fine pass found Rodgers in space and his shot rattled the post on 62 minutes. Whatever Glover had said in the half time team talk had worked as Vale poured forward at every opportunity, leaving the home side thinking they were playing a different team. As the half went on it looked more and more likely that an equaliser would come but Vale squandered the good possession and failed to put their chances away. Glover threw on Richards for the tiring McGoldrick for the final 15 minutes, and Harsley went off with a slight knock to be replaced by Hulbert.

As the half drew to a close Vale had a good shout for a penalty turned down in the final move of the match. Tudor broke into the Northampton box and was taken out by a rather rash challenge from Johnson, but the referee waved the protests away, and Vale were forced to rue their missed chances as he blew the final whistle.

Glover was pleased at the side's fightback in the second half, and whereas the defeats by Luton and Hartlepool seemed to zap the teams confidence, this result leaves Vale showing they can create chances, they just have to put them away. He said " The games has given me an unbelievable amount of encouragement. As long as the players are performing like they are, that will breed confidence into the side and allow them to progress forward. As a club we need to start climbing the league, but if we keep playing like the second half today, and stop conceding early goals and making defensive errors we will be okay. We are creating chances, we just need to start converting them "

Final Score Northampton Town 2 - 1 Port Vale

Port Vale Line Up