REPORT: Southend United v Port Vale
PORT VALE: Jak Alnwick, Ben Purkiss, Ryan McGivern, Richard Duffy, Carl Dickinson, Chris Birchall, Anthony Grant, Sam Foley, Enoch Andoh, Colin Daniel, Uche Ikpeazu. SUBS: Sam Johnson, Louis Dodds, Ajay Leitch-Smith, Ryan Lloyd, Sam Kelly, Adam Yates, Byron Moore
SOUTHEND: Dan Bentley, John White, Ben Coker, Luke Prosser, Michael Timlin, David Mooney, Myles Weston, Cian Bolger, Ryan Leonard, Gary Deegan, Joe Piggott. SUBS: Anthony Wordsworth, Adam Thompson, David Worral, Jack Payne, Will Atkinson, Luke O’Neill, Jason Williams.
With 280 Vale supporters behind the goal urging their side on, Vale certainly had chances to level the scores, but they just couldn’t quite do enough to take them.
Vale kept plugging away for an equaliser and they weren’t too far off with a low 25 yard drive from Byron Moore which whistled past the post with Southend ‘keeper Bentley flat-footed.
Vale made a second change in the 75th minute with the introduction of Louis Dodds for Uche Ikpeazu with Vale looking for inspiration from somewhere if they were to get themselves back in with a chance of getting something from the game.
Vale immediately made the substitution with Birhcall leaving the field of play to be replaced by Byron Moore.
GOAL: Shrimpers’ substitute Anthony Wordsworth took the ball to the byeline on the left before hitting the ball low across the face of goal and JOE PIGOTT was on hand to bundle the ball over the line to give the home side the lead.
With Vale waiting to make a substitute after Chris Birchall picked up an injury, the home side finally got their noses in front in the 62nd minute.
In the 56th minute Colin Daniel ran at the home defence and with Prosser backing off, shot from the edge of the 18 yard box, only to see his effort strike the post.
Andoh forced a save out of Bentley within a minute of the restart as Vale came out of the block on the front foot.
When Joe Piggott got up at the far post to lift a deft header over Jak Alnwick, thankfully Sam Foley was on the line to do a job.
Despte a good opening twenty minutes or so from the Valiants, the home side seemed to grow into the game and as the first half went on they found themselves increasingly under pressure.
Southend skipper John White picked up a yellow card after a particularly ‘tough’ challenge on Andoh and Vale defender Richard Duffy was also shown a yellow for his protests after the tackle.
Myles Weson was just inches off target with a low 20 yard shot and then Vale had a bit of a let off when Cian Bolger’s shot hit two Vale players before coming back off the upright.
Enoch Andoh then curled a shot towards the top right cornerwhich ‘keeper Bentley did well to claw away with Birchall charging in hoping to get on the end of things.
Uche Ikpeazu had a goalbound blocked and then a minute at the other end Ryan Leonard fired well over when perhaps he should have done better.
In a lively start to the game there were chances at both ends and from the off it looked like a game in which there would be a hat full of goals.
Uche Ikpeazu returned to the starting eleven to partner Colin Daniel, while Chris Birchall and Sam Foley started, with Louis Dodds and Michael Brown missing out.
Ryan McGivern came in for Remie Streete, who didn’t travel with the squad, while there was no place for Michael O’Connor, despite him being in at Roots Hall with the squad.
Rob Page made four changes from the side that started against Blackpool in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tie at Vale Park in midweek.
Vale had chances to get themselves back into the game but they didn’t quite have what it takes in the end and unfortunately were forced to return home empty-handed.
But all of their hard work was undone in the 62nd minute when Joe Piggott got on the end of a low cross from substitute Anthony Wordsworth and bundled the ball over the line.
Rob Page’s side started the game brightly enough and were very much still in the game when the two sides went in at half time goalless.
Vale made the long drive home from Essex with nothing to show for the efforts after suffering a 1-0 defeat against in-form Southend United.
Attendance: 6,543 including 280 visiting supporters
League One
At Roots Hall
Saturday 10th October 2015
Southend United v Port Vale