Vale Remain On Course For Reserve Double
Port Vale's reserves will face Middlesbrough in the Northern Final of the Final Third Development League Cup after breezing past Wigan Athletic yesterday.
The Valiants had already beaten the Latics to the league title this season and made sure they remained on course for the double with a 4-0 win at Vale Park.
The first real opportunity came after seven minutes as Haughton was put through by a ball over the top but the flag for offside was raised to bring his run to a stop. Vale continued to press but without creating any clear chances. In the 24th minute a Deen-Conteh cross was just too long but Haughton and Gibbons worked the ball back into the box where it was headed away.
Wigan had there first shot after 26 minutes but I was safely collected by Boot and following this a Bergin long ball put Kapend in with a run on goal but the chance was blazed high and wide.
Wigan responded with a period of pressure themselves and came close to taking the lead in the 33rd minute as Flores flashed a shot just the wrong side of the post. Wigan continued to attack and O’Brien outpaced Bergin and swung a cross into the area that was headed away by Gibbons.
Vale piled on the pressure in the final few minutes of the half as a series of four corners brought desperate defending and the final one found Bergin at the far post and he put it back into the danger area where Turner crashed home a shot through a group of players to give Vale the lead with a minute to go.
Vale went for another goal from the restart and Smith headed just over but the flag was raised anyway. Vale did increase their lead in the 53rd minute as Deen-Conteh was found on the left wing and his cross came out to Steele who hammered the ball home from 15 yards.
Vale almost scored again a couple of minutes later as Steele broke and the ball eventually found Lloyd who blazed over from inside the penalty area.
After 66 minutes Vale had the ball in the net but again the raised flag denied the goal after Kapend had won the ball in midfield and played a ball through to Haughton who finished well but to no avail.
The third goal eventually came in the 74th minute as Kapend ran on to a ball over the top and he shrugged off the defender to slot past the ‘keeper. A corner from Lloyd found Smith’s head but he could not keep it down and it went over the bar.
Wigan responded with a long range effort that whistled close to goal but never threatened Boot’s goal. Vale added a fourth after 85 minutes as Turner weaved his way through a number of defenders before slipping the ball past Nicholls at his near post for his second of the game.
With 20 seconds left Wigan had their best chance and Boot made an initial save and then raced back to kick the second attempt out for a corner.
PORT VALE: Ryan Boot, James Gibbons, Aziz Deen–Conteh, Billy Reeves, Nathan Smith, Lewis Burgin, Ryan Lloyd, Chekaine Steele, Jonny Kapend, Dan Turner, Omar Haughton (Brian Barton 75).
SUBS NOT USED: Harry Pickering, Mackenzie Faulkner, Brad Ede, Taylor Attrell.
WIGAN ATHLETIC: Lee Nichols, Arnie Baxendale, Lee Pickerill (Sam Cosgrove 57), Jordan Thompson, Dave Roberts (Reece McNally 46), Adam Anson, Daniel O’Brien, Adrian Purzycki, Ruairi Croskery (Louis Robles 57), Mathew Hamilton, Jordan Flores.
SUBS NOT USED: Owen Evans, James Barrigan.
The Valiants had already beaten the Latics to the league title this season and made sure they remained on course for the double with a 4-0 win at Vale Park.
The first real opportunity came after seven minutes as Haughton was put through by a ball over the top but the flag for offside was raised to bring his run to a stop. Vale continued to press but without creating any clear chances. In the 24th minute a Deen-Conteh cross was just too long but Haughton and Gibbons worked the ball back into the box where it was headed away.
Wigan had there first shot after 26 minutes but I was safely collected by Boot and following this a Bergin long ball put Kapend in with a run on goal but the chance was blazed high and wide.
Wigan responded with a period of pressure themselves and came close to taking the lead in the 33rd minute as Flores flashed a shot just the wrong side of the post. Wigan continued to attack and O’Brien outpaced Bergin and swung a cross into the area that was headed away by Gibbons.
Vale piled on the pressure in the final few minutes of the half as a series of four corners brought desperate defending and the final one found Bergin at the far post and he put it back into the danger area where Turner crashed home a shot through a group of players to give Vale the lead with a minute to go.
Vale went for another goal from the restart and Smith headed just over but the flag was raised anyway. Vale did increase their lead in the 53rd minute as Deen-Conteh was found on the left wing and his cross came out to Steele who hammered the ball home from 15 yards.
Vale almost scored again a couple of minutes later as Steele broke and the ball eventually found Lloyd who blazed over from inside the penalty area.
After 66 minutes Vale had the ball in the net but again the raised flag denied the goal after Kapend had won the ball in midfield and played a ball through to Haughton who finished well but to no avail.
The third goal eventually came in the 74th minute as Kapend ran on to a ball over the top and he shrugged off the defender to slot past the ‘keeper. A corner from Lloyd found Smith’s head but he could not keep it down and it went over the bar.
Wigan responded with a long range effort that whistled close to goal but never threatened Boot’s goal. Vale added a fourth after 85 minutes as Turner weaved his way through a number of defenders before slipping the ball past Nicholls at his near post for his second of the game.
With 20 seconds left Wigan had their best chance and Boot made an initial save and then raced back to kick the second attempt out for a corner.
PORT VALE: Ryan Boot, James Gibbons, Aziz Deen–Conteh, Billy Reeves, Nathan Smith, Lewis Burgin, Ryan Lloyd, Chekaine Steele, Jonny Kapend, Dan Turner, Omar Haughton (Brian Barton 75).
SUBS NOT USED: Harry Pickering, Mackenzie Faulkner, Brad Ede, Taylor Attrell.
WIGAN ATHLETIC: Lee Nichols, Arnie Baxendale, Lee Pickerill (Sam Cosgrove 57), Jordan Thompson, Dave Roberts (Reece McNally 46), Adam Anson, Daniel O’Brien, Adrian Purzycki, Ruairi Croskery (Louis Robles 57), Mathew Hamilton, Jordan Flores.
SUBS NOT USED: Owen Evans, James Barrigan.