The Wonder Of P.V.F.C.: Port Vale Vs Luton Town 29th December 2007

Port Vale will be happy to say goodbye to 2007, but it is becoming more difficult to make a case for them avoiding League Two football in 2008. This defeat was their ninth in 14 home games this season - a sorry run which includes just two victories. Rock bottom of the table, the lowest scorers in the division and now six points adrift of safety. The outlook could hardly be more bleak as Lee Sinnott tries desperately to transform fortunes in the second half of the campaign. The task isn't beyond a manager who led unfashionable Farsley Celtic to three promotions in four years before taking the job. But even the more drilled and resolute side he has produced has won just two of his 12 games in charge.
Once again, Vale deserved more from this game. But having been denied a win by Walsall's injury-time leveller on Boxing Day, they shipped another point here when Matthew Spring rifled home a superb 92nd-minute free-kick. Hot favourites for the drop, Vale's only realistic chance of survival is if Sinnott can make some inspired signings in the January transfer window. A defender, at least one midfielder and a striker are surely needed for a squad who are giving their all, but lack the quality to claim the 33 points from 23 games they need to reach the likely 50-point safety mark. It is also true that Vale have lacked any trace of luck over their last five games. They should have won at Chasetown, beaten Tranmere and Walsall at home and claimed a draw against Luton.
Only their defeat at Nottingham Forest was merited on the balance of play, but every relegated team will have a dozen hard-luck stories to tell. Sinnott was unfortunate to take charge less than three weeks before loans and transfers were barred at the end of November. The market re-opens tomorrow and he will know that only his wheeling and dealing can save Vale from a return to the basement division for the first time since 1986.
He said: "You have to be positive and not buy into the hard luck stories. But there has to be change. I have tried to steer away from that before January 1 because you don't want to be demeaning to the people here. "But without doubt, we need to change. We will be doing our hardest to change things."
January has long looked like being Vale's best hope, but no one could accuse Sinnott of letting things drift until 2008. He has chopped and changed in search of success and, on Saturday, made his most dramatic team selection since four players were axed and George Pilkington dropped as captain after the home draw with Chasetown on December 2. On that occasion, Luke Rodgers was made captain and led the side out at Leeds. Four weeks on and fortune has turned full circle for the striker who found himself left on the bench for the first time since Martin Foyle left in September. Top-scorer Rodgers has scored 10 of Vale's 22 goals, but only one in his last 12 matches. He at least was able to come on as a 64th-minute substitute, unlike Dave McGoldrick who was left out of the 16-man squad completely. McGoldrick's loan from Southampton runs out after the Cheltenham game on Wednesday. But his chances of playing in that, or having his loan extended, must be slim now.
The changes meant a first start for Danny Glover in a front three alongside Calum Willock and the recalled Danny Whitaker. The two tactical changes up front didn't harm the performance, but the two enforced changes in midfield disrupted the balance of the team. Ankle-injury victim Marc Laird was sorely missed, particularly as captain Paul Harsley had to pull out 20 minutes before kick-off with a sickness bug. Robin Hulbert impressed on his recall, but the midfield trio of Hulbert, Craig Rocastle and Mark Salmon failed to fire in atrocious conditions.
The driving rain merely added to the discomfort, but the swirling wind blew both teams' hopes of slick football off course.
The best spell of the game came from Luton in a 15-minute period just before the break when they should have added to Jaroslaw Fujot's early opener. Dave Edwards was denied by a reflex save from Joe Anyon, and Edwards also saw Anyon and Danny Glover scramble away his 12-yard strike before Glover blocked from Fujot. The defending was more impressive than in the third minute when the visitors were awarded a free-kick on the right and Darren Currie swept the ball into the area. Vale allowed the ball to bounce to the back post where Fujot extracted full punishment with a cleanly struck 10-yard volley which gave Anyon no chance.
Luton deserved to be a goal up at the break, but were pegged back in first-half injury time when Whitaker played in Willock on the right of the area. The striker adorned his 12th start of the season with his fourth goal as he steered the ball past the advancing Dean Brill from the edge of the area.

Vale shaded a scrappy second half in worsening conditions and could have taken the lead on 56 minutes when Hulbert crafted a through-ball to Willock behind the defence.
But the ball bobbled just as Willock was about to shoot and, when he did strike it, Brill slid out to save. The opportunity was the best of the half for either side as Vale's fourth consecutive home draw began to appear inevitable. There didn't seem a huge threat when the Hatters won a free-kick 35 yards out in the 92nd minute. But the ball was touched to midfielder Spring, whose stunning strike aquaplaned off the surface on its way just inside Anyon's left-hand post. Walsall's late leveller could be blamed on poor defending, but on this occasion Vale were denied by the brilliance of the goal. Not that this is much consolation for fans, players or Sinnott as they assess an unpromising position at the foot of League One.
The next month should be Vale's busiest of the season as Sinnott sifts through his list of possibles. Manchester United left-back Adam Eckersley, who was on loan at Vale earlier in the season, and Hull winger Ryan France have both been linked with the club.
Sinnott is determined not to reveal his targets, but accepts it may be difficult to keep them all under wraps. He said: "I am sure there will be loads of names floating about. I was told about Port Vale's corridors of power - they seem to have moving eyes in the pictures.
"I won't comment on any names, but feel free to speculate."