Vale see off Palace to set up tie against the Toffees
Vale were having the best of the game again and further shots called Gregory into action and the home team seemed momentarily deflated. Palace did come forward again but started to look frantic buy Davies saw a yellow card as the last minute began and Vale were again on the attack as the final whistle blew.
Palace kept up the pressure and Price cleared off the line and the half clearance saw a deflected shot caught under the bar by Boot. With 79 minutes gone Vale moved forward well with a neat passing move that set up a 25 yard shot for Whieldon whose pile driver was parried away by Gregory for a throw in. Vale got a second with 7 minutes left as yet another slick passing move saw Beesley put in Macauley Davies who thumped it across the ‘keeper and into the far corner to see massive celebrations by the Vale team.
The first major action came 5 minutes into the half as Price was shown a yellow card for going through Allassani, but the resulting free kick was headed clear by Morris. Palace were staring to put more pressure on Vale and a good clearance from a cross averted a dangerous moment just before the hour mark that Swaby injured but recover from the knock. A cross by Gabsi was just over the head of Tieku as Vale breathed a sigh of relief. Vale attacked with Davies putting Beesley in on goal and although his shot was saved he was given offside. Palace responded with a cross from Williams being cleared over the bar and from this Boot made a comfortable save from a header.
Another good Vale attack saw a shot by Whieldon deflected for a corner, but nothing came of it and Palace were soon creating a chance at the other end. Croft who had hurt himself earlier had failed to run the knock off and was replaced by Lander. With the half in added time Palace had a clear chance as a slip by a defender allowed a forward to run at goal but as Boot advanced the shot was screwed wide of the far post and Vale went in with their lead intact.
Vale continued to have the majority of the play and Davies won a corner from a long ball from Price, the initial effort was cleared but a Warner cross was headed towards goal by Whieldon but lacked power and did not trouble Gregory. Vale’s lead was preserved just after the half hour mark as Tieku turned sharply in the box to hook a shot that seemed to be heading in but Boot flung himself to his left and plucked the ball cleanly out of the air.
In the 16th minute Vale took the lead as they kept the pressure on the Palace defence, not allowing them to clear and eventually the ball fell to Will Whieldon some 35 yards out. He strode past 2 defenders and from the edge of the penalty area unleashed a perfect drive that flew high into the top corner of the net with the ‘keeper unable to get near it.
Vale had the first opportunity to create a chance as a quickly taken free kick saw Swaby put clear on the leftwing but his cross was pulled back too far and arrived behind the attackers and was cleared. Smith soon conceded a foul 25 yards out but Boot safely collected the shot from Kaikai under the cross bar. Boot was soon out to collect a through ball from Allassani before a shot could be delivered.
The last time that Vale visited Selhurst Park ion the FAYC was in 1976 for a quarter-final tie to face a Palace side that included Vince Hillaire. This time Vale were facing 3 players who have represented England at U-16 level including Ryan Inniss who was captain.
– not used: Joe Hemmings, Ollie Marland, Luke Wright, , Dave Lander.
Substitutes
Ryan Boot, Nathan Smith, Matthew Warner, Will Whieldon, Dougie Price (C), Tom Morris, Joshua Croft (Dave Lander 38), Jack Pryor, Macauley Davies, Luke Beesley, Ricardo Swarby (Elliot Osbourne 73).
Port Vale:
– not used: Jahmal Howlett-Mundle, Thomas King, Jacob Berekley-Agyepong, Sam Toms, William Johnson-Cole.
Substitutes
David Gregory, Mandela Egbo, Jerome Williams, Ghassimu Sow (Elijah Gabsi 60), Ryan Inniss, Kiran Khinda-John, Jake Gray, Hiram Boateng, Derek Tieku, Reise Allassani, Sullay Kaikai.
Crystal Palace:
14th December 2012
Crystal Palace 0 (0) v Port Vale 2 (1)
FA Youth Cup 3rd Round
Report: Lindon Roberts