The Wonder Of P.V.F.C.: Oldham Athletic Vs Port Vale Saturday 17th November 2007

A tough match for Vale as the reign of Lee Sinnott continues to look as if the corner has been turned for Vale this season. In fact this performance was a mile away from the Vale team that Sinnott inherited that collapsed so readily at Huddersfield, Orient and Luton this season. In fact this was the first time this year that Vale have gone behind in a game and come out of it with anything at all, so in that sense this was a big improvement.

After last weeks FA Cup win at Morecambe, Vale kept the faith with goalscorer Callum Willock. Back into the team came Ashley Westwood, with Keith Lowe reverting back to the bench. Vale started off the game in a positive mood and Luke Rodgers fired just wide with 60 seconds just about on the clock to show Oldham they meant business today. The good attacking form continued when a corner came in and was headed just over the bar from Willock.

Oldham had Lee Hughes in their line up today, and the ex West Brom player was looking on form as he had Oldham's first effort on goal after 16 minutes. He stooped to knock in a low header past the stranded Joe Anyon into the net, but the effort was adjudged to be offside by the linesman. Hughes was beginning to cause the Vale back line problems, and he set up Davies for an effort that went just wide. But the pressure from the home side paid off on 23 minutes when Taylor whipped in a cross that was met by Davies who headed the ball past Anyon to put the home side 1-0 up.

This is the time in recent games when Vales resolve has crumbled and they have gone on to concede a couple more, but Sinnott has instilled a bit of steel into the team and with determination Vale found themselves back on level terms within nine minutes. Vale had been pressing for an equaliser when Laird fired in a great ball towards Callum Willock, who turned and volleyed the ball past Mark Crossley in the Oldham goal in one movement. It was a spectacular goal from the front man who has now scored two in two games, and looks like he has settled into the new regime with a new determination to earn himself an extension to his contract which runs out in January.

Vale almost led at the break as they pilled the pressure on the Oldham goal. Paul Edwards fired in a cross met by Luke Rodgers, whose shot was pushed around the post by Crossley. The Vale seemed to be boosted by the spectacular goal, and went into half time the better of the two sides, and for once level after falling behind.

Half Time Score Oldham Ath 1 - 1 Port Vale

Vale kept Oldham waiting on the pitch for the start of the second half, but the delay seemed to fire the home side up as they started the half the brighter of the two sides. But Vale soon found themselves back in the groove they had ended the first half with.
Rodgers was his usual troublesome self, and won a free kick just outside the 18 yard box, which he took himself and forced Crossley into another fine save. Vale were playing some good football and Oldham were struggling to gain any possession of the ball, but Vale were not really creating any chances when they should of been stepping up the gears and taking on a side that appeared to be much worse than they were. They best chance fell to Willock again, whose looping header had Mark Crossley looking on as it bounced of the top of the crossbar and over.

Sinnott decided to build on the momentum, taking off Edwards and replacing him with McGoldrick, meaning Vale attacking with three up front and without us being behind, unheard of in previous weeks. A small scare for the team came when Davies almost put the home side ahead on 70 minutes with a shot from close range that went wide.

With full time getting nearer, Sinnott made a second change on 75 minutes, bringing on Lowe for Rodgers and pushing McGoldrick further forward and pushing Talbot to a more attacking role on the left of the midfield. This gave Vale more opportunities to grab a winner with McGoldrick and Willock both going close. In a final change Vale brought on Richards for the tiring Willock on 85 minutes, but it was the home side who were piling on the pressure with Smalley going close for the home team. With the final whistle looming Vale almost snatched a late winner as Richards went agonisingly close. He turned Trotman in the Oldham defence and steadied himself for the shot. His effort beat the onrushing Crossley in the goal, but his shot hit the foot of the post and came back into the path of a defender who hoofed the ball away to safety. Vale had worked hard for this point, and although the result still leaves them in the relegation zone, they are looking more like a team that will not be going down, and surely it is only a matter of time before they start to turn pressure into win's.

After the match Lee Sinnott had this to say of the performance " What they gave me was an extremely gutsy performance. That will do for me and stands us in good stead for the rest of the season. You can't play great football and build the play all the time, not every game is the same. We played better football against Crewe, but this time we got a point. It is about building blocks in my view. Its about adding to what this squad is capable of. They have added a brick that you could call 'guts' and I am pleased with them in that aspect. The idea behind the tactical changes was to take us over the finishing line. Although Oldham had more play than us in front of goal, I felt we had the lesser of two evils, and they looked less likely to score than our effort that nearly gained us all three points at the end of the match. "

Final Score Oldham Ath 1 - 1 Port Vale

Port Vale Line Up