DAVID Ammo scored the only goal as Port Vale picked up their fourth win of pre-season in a strong display against Joey Barton’s League 1 Fleetwood Town.
New signing David Amoo impressed on his first appearance at Vale Park, looking sharp from the off, showing a lot of drive and passion.
The first major chance of the game came in the 15thminute when Tom Conlon floated a lovely ball into the box which was headed back across goal by Ryan Lloyd before new-boys Mark Cullen and Amoo were beaten to the ball by Alex Cairns.
After a slow start Fleetwood burst into the game with a number of chances, starting with Paddy Madden’s free header which failed to trouble Scott Brown in the 19thminute after Leon Legge was able to put off the attacker.
The pressure continued as Fleetwood worked a brilliant move down the right wing on the counter attack. Thankfully for the Vale, Nathan Smith was there with the sliding challenge to prevent what could’ve been an easy tap in for Wes Burns.
With the momentum on their side Fleetwood nearly capitalised when Conor McAleny rattled the post from 25 yards out.
The Valiants worked their way back into the game when Adam Crooks whipped a pacey ball into the box which nearly resulted in a goal for Lloyd as his flicked effort went just wide of the far post.
Unfortunately Lloyd’s night was brought to a swift end as he was forced off with an injury after 34 minutes and replaced by trialist Rhys Browne.
Amoo continued to be the standout player on the pitch and nearly put Vale ahead on the stroke of half-time, when he cut inside and fired just wide before the half was brought to a goalless close.
Vale came firing out the gates at the start of the second-half as James Gibbons delivered a beautiful ball into the box which was met by Cullen, whose looping header was wonderfully tipped over the bar by Cairns.
The goalkeeper was called into action moments later once again. Capitalising on a mistake at the back by the Fleetwood defence, Cullen’s close range header was saved by Cairns.
The deadlock didn’t last much longer though, as Amoo scored a beautiful goal to put the hosts into the lead in the 58thminute.
Amoo made a darting run down the left wing, using brilliant footwork to keep hold of the ball before he played it into David Worrall. The midfielder laid it back into Amoo’s path where he curled a wonderful strike into the far top right corner from 25-yards out.
Soon after the goal John Askey made four changes with Captain Tom Pope replacing Cullen and goal-scorer Amoo making way for fellow new signing Scott Burgess.
The next big chance of the game came when Worrall pounced onto a backwards header after some cautious defending and was brought down on the edge of the box. Conlon took on the free-kick but failed to beat the wall with 10 minutes left on the clock.
The game drew to a close with Amoo’s wonder strike the only thing separating the two sides meaning the Valiants pick up their first home pre-season victory.
Askey will have been impressed with the intensity shown by his side as they picked up another pre-season win with fitness and play looking sharp throughout the game. He will hope this form can be carried into the next pre-season game, a difficult home clash with Burnley this Saturday.
Starting XI: Brown (66 – Maddison), Gibbons, Crookes (80’ – Campbell-Gordan), Legge (70’ – Rawlinson), Worrall (86’ – Trickett-Smith), Lloyd (34’ – Browne (61’-Bennett)), Conlon, Amoo (67’- Burgess), Joyce, Cullen (66’ – Pope), Smith.
Unused Subs: Whitfield