A trip to Crawley tomorrow awaits the Valiants on the back of an impressive win last Saturday over Colchester United. Let’s take a look back at some of our previous visits to The People’s Pension Stadium.
Past Five encounters with Crawley | WWDWW
Our last visit to the Reds
Sky Bet League Two, The People’s Pension Stadium, Saturday 27th March 2021 | Crawley Town 1-3 Port Vale
Vale started the game brightly and had a golden opportunity to take the lead with just four minutes on the clock, Manny Oyeleke won the ball in the centre of the park and threaded a perfectly weighted through ball to Theo Robinson, whose first effort was saved well before he failed to get a clean connection on the rebound.
The hosts fired back with a chance of their own, when David Sesay let fly from the edge of the area but his low, hard effort went wide of Scott Brown’s post.
The exciting early proceedings rolled on in the sixth minute when Devante Rodney was out wide and spotted Glenn Morris off his line and attempted an audacious dinked effort that the keeper was forced to tip over the bar for a corner.
Vale dominated the opening 10 minutes of action and were rewarded for their efforts with 12 minutes on the clock, as the Valiants were relentless in their pressure, sending ball after ball into the area, David Worrall’s delivery was headed clear but only as far as an arriving Tom Conlon who drilled a venomous half-volley into the bottom right corner from outside the area.
Darrell Clarke’s side thought they had doubled their lead instantly, when Theo Robinson poked home into an open net after a squared pass from Manny Oyeleke, but it was ruled out for an offside call.
Crawley began to work their way back into the game, but could only conjure up half-chances, with the best being a curling effort from Sesay that failed to hit the target, with the Red Devils having a shout for a penalty after a potential foul on Sesay waved away by the referee soon after.
The Valiants again took control of the encounter once again and looked to double their lead. With 10 minutes left of the half the ball fell to Worrall 30-yards out and he hit a first time effort but it flew high of the target, with Robinson delivering a dangerous, low ball across the face of goal that was met only by a defender soon after.
Crawley drew level at the death of the first period, sending a ball into the Vale area that was met by a Ashley Nadesan glancing header that found its way past Brown and into the far corner of the net.
There was a wait until almost the hour mark for the first major chance of the second-half, but it went Vale’s way when it came, Robinson rising highest to flick a header towards goal, it beat the keeper but was denied by the upright of the woodwork to keep the game level.
Five minutes later Vale had a penalty shout denied by the official, Rodney headed towards goal from a corner and it was blocked by a defender for another corner, but the attacking players felt as though the ball had been blocked by an arm.
The feelings of anger soon became feelings of joy for Darrell Clarke and his team, as from the resulting corner a loose ball was brought under control by Nathan Smith who drilled it across goal with his second touch and found the bottom left corner, restoring the Vale’s lead.
That lead was nearly increased soon after, with the ball somehow not ending up in the Crawley net after multiple dangerous crosses and the hosts failing to clear their lines.
Vale went close again from another corner in the 70th minute, when Shaun Brisley had his header cleared off the line, before it broke to Conlon whose hit from 35-yards troubled the keeper, with the strike punched clear.
The constant pressure paid off in the 75th minute, as confusion at the back saw Joe McNerney head the ball over his own keeper, with Worrall the most alert and quickest to react, stealing the ball and passing into the open net from as tight angle.
Port Vale: Brown, Montano (88‘ Olagunju), Legge, Smith, Brisley, Worrall, Joyce, Oyeleke, Conlon (90’ Amoo) , Rodney, Robinson (80’ Guthrie).
Unused Subs: Cullen, Taylor, Hurst, Scott.
Crawley Town: Morris, Francomb, McNerney, Powell, Nadesan, Nichols, Sesay (68’ Tsaroulla), Craig, Maguire-Drew (65’ Allarakhia), Tilley (68’ Matthews), Hessenthaler.
Unused Subs: Nelson, Davies, Wright.
Classic Fixture
Sky Bet League One, The Checkatrade.com Stadium, Tuesday 22nd October 2013 | Crawley Town 0-3 Port Vale
Jordan Hugill almost had the perfect start to his Vale debut with his first touch of the game, when he met a left-wing cross from Chris Lines with a stooping header which flashed just inches wide of the target.
The home side almost answered in the 9th minute when Emile Sinclair burst forward and sent a low drive narrowly wide of Chris Neal’s left-hand post.
Not to be outdone, Vale went one better when Louis Dodds read a poor back pass by Joe Walsh to nip in and squeeze the ball past Crawley ‘keeper Paul Jones from the narrowest of angles in the 10th minute.
It was no more than Vale deserved for their hard work and endeavour and they continued to graft all over the park, whilst playing some nice passing football.
Vale struck for a second time in the 27th minute when Anthony Griffith thread the ball through for Hugill, who cleverly pulled the ball back for Doug Loft and the Vale skipper finished from the edge of the box.
Louis Dodds almost added a third goal for the Valiants, picking up a short pass from Chris Lines to send a low angled drive just wide of the far post with the keeper beaten.
Hugill was the next Vale player to go close, meeting a right-wing cross from Lines towards the back post, hitting the target and forcing Jones into a diving save.
Jones then sprinted off his line to snatch the ball away from the feet of the onrushing Williamson who raced through to meet a pass from Doug Loft on the left flank.
A terrific run down the right from Vale midfielder Chris Lines saw the former Sheffield Wednesday man burst into the box, only for Jones, who was quick off his line, to make the block at the death.
Vale began the second half in a similar fashion to that of the opening forty-five minutes, well organised, hardworking and showing patience and good discipline.
Vale were rewarded with a third goal in the 57th minute when Ben Williamson controlled the ball on his chest and took on three home defenders before firing past Jones from 12 yards.
The home side had no option other than to throw bodies forward at every opportunity, but Vale continued to stick to their principles, defending well as a unit when necessary.
Hugill was taken off in the 75th minute to a round of applause, not only from the Vale supporters behind the goal, but the entire Vale bench, including Tom Pope who came on to replace the youngster.
Vale made another change in the 82nd minute with Chris Birchall coming off the bench to replace Williamson.
Crawley Town | James Hurts, Mark Connolly, Connor Essam, Sergio Torres, Gary Alexander, Luke Rooney, Jonny Maddison.
SUBS | Paul Jones, Mat Sadler, Kyle McFadzean, Andy Drury, Josh Simpson, Joe Walsh, Jamie Proctor, Dannie Bulman, Nicky Adams, Emile Sinclair, Mike Jones.
Port Vale | Sam Johnson, Jennison Myrie-Williams, Chris Shuker, Tom Pope, Richard Duffy, Chris Birchall, Lee Hughes
SUBS | Chris Neal, Adam Yates, Chris Robertson, Liam Chilvers, Carl Dickinson, Louis Dodds, Anthony Griffith, Chris Lines, Doug Loft, Ben Williamson, Jordan Hugill.
Attendance: 2748 including 208 visiting supporters The Broadfield Stadium