Match report from Vale Park - Vale v Wolves
Pre-season Friendly
Saturday 23rd July 2016
Port Vale v Wolverhampton Wanderers
visiting supporters including Attendance:
The talking point when the two teams emerged was the colour of the Wolves kit, or to be more precise, the colour of Jack Alnwick’s kit, which was an almost perfect matching green.
The fact that the referee didn’t insist on the Vale ‘keeper changing his outfit was a surprise to many, given the confusion it could have caused when the visitors pushed men inside the Vale box.
When Alnwick emerged from the tunnel before the start of the second half, he had changed to a fluorescent orange kit – problem finally solved.
Once again Vale began the match playing neat passing football, but unlike in their previous game, against Nottingham Forest, they were looking more of a threat inside the visitors’ half of the pitch.
Vale were more than matching Championship opposition and when Matt Doherty got in behind the Vale defence, Jak Alnwick was alert enough to come off his line and snatch the ball from his feet.
Vale were not having things all their own way by any stretch of the imagination, but coped well when the visitors pressed forward in numbers.
The match was a typical pre-season friendly, however, lacking the ‘bite’ you would expect to see in a league match, but there were still signs of a good season ahead for the Vale.
Vale made two changes at the commencement of the second half – Rigino Cicilia and Chris Mbambe remaining in the dressing room and their places been taken by JJ Hooper and the on trial Nathan Tyson.
The game continued to follow a familiar pattern, but Vale had Alnwick to thank for keeping Wolves out twice within the space of sixty seconds.
minute, after Jed Wallace ran from the halfway line unchallenged, his shot was touched over the crossbar by the Vale stopper, and then he got down to his left to push a header from Kortney Hause around the upright.thIn the 58
Vale made a change on the hour when Calvin Mac-Intosche came on to take Remie Street’s place at the heart of the Vale defence.
Sam Foley’s angled shot from the edge of the 18 yard box was heading for the top corner, but Wolves’ ‘keeper Carl Ikeme reacted well, diving to his left to touch the ball over his crossbar.
That was the last of the action for the Vale midfielder. Along with Jerome Thomas and Paulo Tavares, he was replaced when Bruno Ribeiro made a triple substitution, sending on Sam Kelly, Quenting Pereira and his latest signing, Sebastien Amoros.
On 71 minutes Vale made a further change, with Ryan Boot coming off the bench to replace Jak Alnwick in the Vale goal.
minute there was another Vale change when Anton Forrester cam on for Anthony Grant, who got a terrific reception from the Vale faithful – a message if ever there was one, from the fans to a player who recently handed in a transfer request.thIn the 79
PORT VALE: Ryan Boot, Calvin Mac_Intosch, Nathan Tyson, Sebastien Amoros, Sam Kelly, Quentin Pereira, Anton Forrester, Chris Birchall, JJ HooperSUBS:Jak Anlwick, Ben Purkiss, Kjell Knops, Anthony Grant, Remie Streete, Nathan Smith, Jerome Thomas, Paulo Tavares, Regino Cicilia, Sam Foley, Chris Mbamba.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS: Ben O’Hanlon, Andy Lonergan, Aaron Hayden, Connor Ronan, Ryan Leak, Nathan Byrne, Connor Johnson, Niall Ennis, Hakeem Odofin, Donovan Wilson, Bright EnobkhareSUBS:Carl Ikeme, Matt Doherty, Conor Coady, Jack Price, Dominic Iorfa, Kortney Hause, Jed Wallace, Lee Evans, Joe Mason, James Henry, George Saville.