Having joined Vale on loan from Blackpool earlier this summer, Scott Quigley played against his parent club on Saturday afternoon as the Valiants fell to a slender defeat.
Nathan Delfouneso’s early strike proved to be the decisive goal on an afternoon where Neil Aspin’s men continued to work on new formations, but Vale did have their chances.
James Gibbons, Louis Dodds and Connell Rawlinson all went close to scoring, with Quigley inadvertently getting in the way of the latter’s powerful header in the first half.
On that unfortunate moment, the striker said: “The ball has come in and I was standing on the goalkeeper, but then I’ve jumped back and Connell flew at me.
“There was probably about five yards between us and he has bulleted a header, but I couldn’t get out of the way. A couple of the Blackpool lads were winding me up saying I was still playing for them, but it was all in good nature.
“The goals will come as long as we keep creating the chances, we just have to get our heads down, crack on and make sure we are getting players in the box.
“Blackpool came here with a very strong squad and that will probably be similar to the team they play on the first game of the season.
“I thought they would have a lot of the ball, but we held our own and had them on the back foot at times. We could have scored a couple, but it goes like that some days and it’s better to do it in pre-season than on the 4th August.”
With two friendly fixtures that round off the pre-season preparations next week, Quigley is looking to impress against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Shrewsbury Town to make sure he is considered on the opening day of the Sky Bet League Two campaign.
The striker has played in a few systems so far and alongside various strike partners, but he is enjoying his time at Vale Park and he has been impressed with the quality of competition in the attacking department.
He said: “It is really strong and there are five or six lads who the gaffer can choose from, so we’ve all got to fight for a space against Cambridge and then it’s all about keeping your shirt.
“You’ve got to make sure you try your hardest in these pre-season games and impress the manager. The lads have been really welcoming and I’ve really liked my time here so far.
“That’s the main thing, and as long as you’re enjoying your football and playing, it makes you happy. I’m glad to be a part of it and have the opportunity here, and hopefully I can add goals now.
“My main target is to keep working hard because I know the goals will come, I know I’m a goal scorer so that will happen as and when.
“At the moment I’m just finding out how different players play and trying to form partnerships with different people, but as soon as that clicks, I don’t think we will have a problem scoring goals.
“Whoever it is finding the net, even if it’s me setting someone up, as long as we are scoring I don’t care.”