Vale begin the pre-season with a win
NEWCASTLE TOWN. Kyle Stubbs, Ricky Hill, Louie Downes, A Trialist, Ben Rowley.SUBS:Danny Read, James Askey, Oliver Ritchie, Leon Ashman, Aaron Carter, Matt Lowe, Alwyn Thompson, Paris Batemen, Andy Nicholls, Tom Urwin, Cohen Bramall.
PORT VALE:
half):st(1Chris Neal, Ben Purkiss, Aziz Deen-Conteh, Michael Brown, Ryan McGivern, Nathan Smith, Chris Birchall, Sam Foley, Colin Daniel, Enoch Andoh, Sam Kelly.
half):nd(2Sam Johnson, Adam Yates, Carl Dickinson, Richard Duffy, Lewis Bergin, Michael O’Connor, Anthony Grant, Byron Moore, Ryan Lloyd, Achille Campion, Ajay Leitch-Smith
Vale began their pre-season campaign with the traditional fixture at the Aspire Stadium against Newcastle Town and they were rarely troubled by the Evo-Stick League outfit.
Primarily a fitness exercise for the visitors ahead of the start of their League One fixtures in August, when they open with a short trip to face Crewe Alex, the win was never-the-less gratifying for boss Rob Page.
It was an opportunity for the crowd of 1,612 to see Vale’s new signings and they didn’t disappoint, with Sam Foley in particular catching the eye during the opening forty-five minutes.
Vale gave twenty two players a run out, changing the eleven at half time, but neither Remie Streete nor Louis Dodds were on view.
Vale fans were also given the opportunity to see Enoch Andoh in action in the first half and he too didn’t disappoint with a hard-working performance.
The Valiants led at the interval thanks to goals from Colin Daniel and Michael Brown after, understandable, having the majority of possession.
put the Vale ahead on 17 minutes when he got on the end of a cross from Ben Purkiss. His downward header bounced up in front of goal before going in via the inside of the post.Daniel
took the resulting free kick, which took a slight deflection on its way into the net.Michael Brown minute after Andoh had been brought down 25 yards from goal. thVale doubled their lead in the 28
In the second half, Ajay Leitch-Smith, a former Newcastle Town loanee who has been training with the Vale squad for the last week, worked tirelessly up top and surely the manager will be hoping to add his signature before the season begins.
rose to meet a cross from the right by Adam Yates, steering his header into the top corner with the ‘keeper well beaten.Achille Campion minute when a lean-looking thVale continued to have most of the possession, and added a third goal in the 79
Vale could have easily been awarded a spot kick just moments later when Byron Moore was sent tumbling inside the box, but referee Olly Yates turned a blind eye and waved play on.
All in all it was a satisfying performance for the Vale and Rob Page will have been well pleased with the start his side has made, though it is early days yet and there is a lot more hard work to do before the season kicks in at the Alexandra Stadium.