Port Vale Reserves suffer first loss of league season to Morecambe at the Globe Arena.
Vale reserves tasted league defeat for the first time this season at Morecambe, who had not won a game playing their reserve side. The Valiants selected a strong side ahead of the tie, with a few players showing occasional glimpses of their capabilities.
Vale went a goal down within the first minute. Vale had been on attack but Morecambe came away with the ball as Kyle Hawley quickly fed the ball through to Carlos Mendez-Gomes on the right, he drew Dequan Crockwell before squaring the ball for Adam Campbell to open the scoring.
The game was end to end without any clear-cut chances arising but as the most promising Morecambe attack broke down Vale to equalise after 11 minutes. Ben Whitfield won the ball just inside the opposition half lay the ball off right where Dan Turner took it in his stride and pulled further wide before slotting the ball across the ‘keeper and into the far corner of the net.
23 minutes in, Chris Regis saw a good opportunity to open the scoring as he tried to place the ball into the far corner but Niall Maher tipped the ball around the post. Vale fell behind again on the 25th minute as Campbell broke through and pulled the ball back to Lamin Jagne whose shot was well saved but the ball ran to Mendez-Gomez who smashed it into the roof of the net from 10 yards.
Minutes later Morecambe almost added a third as Jagne shot just over the bar from a good position, but Vale responded with Turner’s powerful shot to the near post being parried away for a corner. With a minute of the half remaining Morecambe extended their lead as Jagne wriggled free on the left and drilled a low ball across to Hawley who had a tap in from a yard out. The last kick of the half saw Wilson shoot just wide as Vale finished the half looking a little forlorn.
Vale nearly got one back through Ben Whitfield as his effort rattled the crossbar from 18-yards, following some good work between Anton Forrester and Turner.
Zak Jules was subject to Vale’s next goal in the 53rd minute. His darting run saw the on-loan Shrewsbury man defeat a number of defenders, before laying the ball off to Whitfield from 25 yards out, who smashed the ball into the top corner.
Whitfield then almost turned provider as he had the ball on the byline on the left, his cross saw Regis get a touch goalwards but the ‘keeper deflected it on to the post and back into his hands. Morecambe then regained the 2 goal lead as a cross to the far post saw a weak challenge on Jagne was he headed home.
Crockwell made a good save at the near post at the expense of a corner and then saved a Jagne header at the far post as he was unchallenged. With ten minutes to go Maher pulled off a superb save from Forrester; the visitors’ 40-yard free-kick was headed on by Charlie Raglan to Forrester who made space to turn and shoot with the ball heading into the roof of the net before the ‘keeper’s intervention.
MORECAMBE: Niall Maher, Mitchell Lund, Patrick Brough, Tyler Brownsword, Sam Lavelle, Ben Hedley, Adam Campbell, Andrew Fleming (Ben Fletcher 73), Kyle Hawley (Ezeikel Eme 46), Carlos Mendez-Gomes, Lamin Jagne (Harrison Coady 85).
SUB NOT USED: Cameron Armstrong, Nathan Dutton-Kay.
PORT VALE: Dequan Crockwell, Mike Calverley, Zak Jules, Harry Middleton, Charlie Raglan, Callum Howe, Ben Whitfield, Chris Regis (Billy Reeves 60), Dan Turner, Anton Forrester, Donovan Wilson (Harry Benns 75).
SUB NOT USED: Mawgan Blight, Charlie Walford, Matthew Ward.