Report: Burton Albion 1 (0) v Port Vale 1 (0)

Reserves gain point to see them finish second in league in final fixture

Burton Albion 1 (0) v Port Vale 1 (0)

Wednesday 15 March 2017

RESERVES GAIN POINT TO SEE THEM FINISH SECOND IN LEAGUE IN FINAL FIXTURE

PORT VALE:Deniz Mehmet, Jake Thomas (Matt Ward 65), Charlie Walford, Mike Calverley, Ben Fraser, Luke Dennis, Enoch Andoh (Mike Conlon 46), James Steele, Regina Cicelia (Liam Mottram 46), Brian Barton, Chris Mbamba (Harry Benns 46).

SUB NOT USED:Declan Crockwell.

BURTON ALBION:Harry Campbell, Jaydon Cotterill, Jacob Saville (Broomfield 48),Damien McCrory,Charlie Gatter, Ben Hart (Steele 68),Jack Hallahan, Steer 54), Marcus Harness.JoelMarcus Dinanga (Davies 88), Tristan Mathews (

 SUBS NOT USED:Callum Hawkins.

Vale met Burton in their final Reserve fixture of the season on the Kelly Smith pitch at St George’s Park knowing that avoiding defeat would see them finish in second place behind Walsall and duly gained the point in a well earned 1 – 1 draw. Both teams wore a variation of yellow in terms of shorts and socks but Vale only had the band of yellow on their shirts versus all yellow for the hosts. Cicilia and Mbamba were both returning from injury and Andoh had another 45 minutes but is clearly not in contention this season for a first team spot.

Cicilia was regularly winning the ball and beating players and one such use of quick feet saw him slip past a couple of defenders and shooting but this was partially blocked and spun high and wide for a corner; the corner was too long but Cicilia chased the ball and played in Steele for shot that was saved at the foot of the near post after 25 minutes. The first effort on goal came from Mbamba who cut in from the left avoiding a number of challenges but his shot lacked the power to worry Campbell and he watched it roll past the post; this was followed soon after by the ball bouncing around the Brewers penalty area but Barton could just not get the touch to provide a shooting chance. It was some time before Mehmet had a shot to save and it was a routine one when it came as Dinanga’s shot from just inside the box was taken under pressure from a defender.

Just after the half hour mark Harness broke from a tackle on the left and cut in on goal but as Mehmet came out to meet him he curled the ball wide of the far post. Mehmet was next in action when Mathews fed Dinaga whose shot was heading for the top corner before Mehmet’s hand tipped it over the bar. The half finished with Burton still pressing and a ball out wide left to Hutchinson saw him volley it first time into the centre of goal where Dinanga could not get over ball and it went of the top of his head and well over the bar.

rose highest to head into the corner of the net.CalverleyVale removed the senior players at the start of the second half as per last week and so effectively had the U18 team playing with Mehmet in goal and consequently looked more of a team that knew each other and soon began to look threatening after 2 early chances for Hutchinson that saw another good save from Mehmet. Vale took the lead after 54 minutes after Conlon was hacked down just outside the penalty area as he bore down on goal. Walford delivered into the 6 yard box where

The lead lasted for just a minute as Dinanga let go with a speculative effort from the corner of the area and an unlucky deflection of Steele saw it spin slowly past a wrong-footed Mehmet just inside the far post. Vale resumed the ascendancy and Conlon and Calverley had shots before Conlon did have the ball in the net but had already been flagged offside. Barton had a low cross cut out before Dennis came to the rescue at the other end of the pitch to clear a dangerous situation at the expense of a corner.

    Benns brought a ball under control and laid it off to Steele whose dipping volley was just too close to Campbell in the Burton goal and this was followed by a potential opportunity for Vale as the ball flew around the home penalty area without anyone being able to get a significant touch to create a shooting chance. Steer had a good shot saved by Mehmet before the final action saw Benns do well to feed Barton who again saw his low cross intercepted as the game deservedly finished all square.

Table as at 16 March 2017

Burton Albion 1 (0) v Port Vale 1 (0)

Wednesday 15 March 2017

RESERVES GAIN POINT TO SEE THEM FINISH SECOND IN LEAGUE IN FINAL FIXTURE

PORT VALE:Deniz Mehmet, Jake Thomas (Matt Ward 65), Charlie Walford, Mike Calverley, Ben Fraser, Luke Dennis, Enoch Andoh (Mike Conlon 46), James Steele, Regina Cicelia (Liam Mottram 46), Brian Barton, Chris Mbamba (Harry Benns 46).

SUB NOT USED:Declan Crockwell.

BURTON ALBION:Harry Campbell, Jaydon Cotterill, Jacob Saville (Broomfield 48),Damien McCrory,Charlie Gatter, Ben Hart (Steele 68),Jack Hallahan, Steer 54), Marcus Harness.JoelMarcus Dinanga (Davies 88), Tristan Mathews (

 SUBS NOT USED:Callum Hawkins.

Vale met Burton in their final Reserve fixture of the season on the Kelly Smith pitch at St George’s Park knowing that avoiding defeat would see them finish in second place behind Walsall and duly gained the point in a well earned 1 – 1 draw. Both teams wore a variation of yellow in terms of shorts and socks but Vale only had the band of yellow on their shirts versus all yellow for the hosts. Cicilia and Mbamba were both returning from injury and Andoh had another 45 minutes but is clearly not in contention this season for a first team spot.

Cicilia was regularly winning the ball and beating players and one such use of quick feet saw him slip past a couple of defenders and shooting but this was partially blocked and spun high and wide for a corner; the corner was too long but Cicilia chased the ball and played in Steele for shot that was saved at the foot of the near post after 25 minutes. The first effort on goal came from Mbamba who cut in from the left avoiding a number of challenges but his shot lacked the power to worry Campbell and he watched it roll past the post; this was followed soon after by the ball bouncing around the Brewers penalty area but Barton could just not get the touch to provide a shooting chance. It was some time before Mehmet had a shot to save and it was a routine one when it came as Dinanga’s shot from just inside the box was taken under pressure from a defender.

Just after the half hour mark Harness broke from a tackle on the left and cut in on goal but as Mehmet came out to meet him he curled the ball wide of the far post. Mehmet was next in action when Mathews fed Dinaga whose shot was heading for the top corner before Mehmet’s hand tipped it over the bar. The half finished with Burton still pressing and a ball out wide left to Hutchinson saw him volley it first time into the centre of goal where Dinanga could not get over ball and it went of the top of his head and well over the bar.

rose highest to head into the corner of the net.CalverleyVale removed the senior players at the start of the second half as per last week and so effectively had the U18 team playing with Mehmet in goal and consequently looked more of a team that knew each other and soon began to look threatening after 2 early chances for Hutchinson that saw another good save from Mehmet. Vale took the lead after 54 minutes after Conlon was hacked down just outside the penalty area as he bore down on goal. Walford delivered into the 6 yard box where

The lead lasted for just a minute as Dinanga let go with a speculative effort from the corner of the area and an unlucky deflection of Steele saw it spin slowly past a wrong-footed Mehmet just inside the far post. Vale resumed the ascendancy and Conlon and Calverley had shots before Conlon did have the ball in the net but had already been flagged offside. Barton had a low cross cut out before Dennis came to the rescue at the other end of the pitch to clear a dangerous situation at the expense of a corner.

    Benns brought a ball under control and laid it off to Steele whose dipping volley was just too close to Campbell in the Burton goal and this was followed by a potential opportunity for Vale as the ball flew around the home penalty area without anyone being able to get a significant touch to create a shooting chance. Steer had a good shot saved by Mehmet before the final action saw Benns do well to feed Barton who again saw his low cross intercepted as the game deservedly finished all square.

Table as at 16 March 2017

Lindon Roberts – Port Vale Volunteers Group