The Valiants are searching for a fourth straight win tomorrow as we host Oldham Athletic. Let’s have a look at some previous fixtures against the Latics.
Past Five | LDWDL
Last Time
Sky Bet League Two, Vale Park, Tuesday 9th March 2021, Port Vale 0-0 Oldham Athletic
The visitors were on the back foot in the early stages of the game with the Valiants having all of the ball. Kurtis Guthrie had the first chance of the game inside three minutes, his headed effort was well saved by Ian Lawlor in goal. Dylan Bahamboula produced the first effort for the visitors but his shot from distance sailed over Scott Brown’s crossbar on nine minutes.
Vale really pushed for the opener, two minutes after Bahamboula’s long range shot Guthrie was on the end of another ball put into the area but this time it was wide of the goal and Lawlor collected easily.
The Valiants were creating chances for fun but couldn’t put any of them away, Devante Rodney was played the ball in the area on 12 minutes but his shot was blocked well and cleared. Four minutes later Nathan Smith got onto the end of a David Worrall cross but his effort was saved.
Oldham slowly came back into the game, with McAleny getting a shot off after 23 minutes but Smith dived in and denied him. Four minutes later Guthrie again leaped highest to win the header but put it wide of the goal. Both Vale wingers were dominating their opposing fullbacks, Rodney beat his man for pace and got into the area but his strike hit the side netting on 35 minutes.
Four minutes later and Guthrie was on target again with head but Lawlor was equal to it. The closest Vale came to a goal in the first half was Tom Conlon’s strike from 25 yards out on 45 minutes. It hit the inside of the post and bounced out for a goal kick to the Latics. Oldham had their best two chances at the end of the half in stoppage time. Marcel Hilssner’s free kick just went over the bar followed by McAleny’s effort which went way over the bar.
Halftime substitute David Amoo started brightly getting two shots away which were both blocked in the opening minutes. That was followed by a Will Swan header which went well over the bar for a goal kick. A minute later, Zak Mills got to the by-line deep in Oldham’s half and put in a ball towards Guthrie who hit it on the Volley but straight at Lawlor as the score remained goal less.
A freekick for the visitors on 50 minutes found McAleny just outside the six-yard box but did not get enough on the ball and Brown was able to claim it. Amoo on the ball again but again Oldham did well to block and clear. The visitors ventured forward with Bahamboula after 73 minutes who’s shot was blocked well by Conlon.
77 minutes played when Conlon got onto a loose ball in the box, his strike was saved well by Lawlor who pushed it away from goal. A Flurry of chances in the eight minutes of stoppage time. Swan had a great chance from close range but put it wide. Amoo had a header saved before Conlon well struck strike was saved to keep the score 0-0.
Port Vale: Brown, Mills, Legge, Smith, Crookes, Joyce (80’ Oyeleke), Conlon, Worrall, Rodney (46’ Amoo), Guthrie (74’ Robinson), Swan (90+1’ Hurst)
Oldham Athletic: Lawlor, Piergianni, Keilor-Dunn, Ntambwe (60’ Ntwambe), McAleny, Badan, Hilssner (51’ Fage), Diarra (70’ Jombati), Adams, Bahamboula, McCalmont
Classic Fixture
Sky Bet League One, Vale Park, Saturday 18th January 2014, Port Vale 1-0 Oldham Athletic
Although Vale were having the better of the opening exchanges, with Cuvelier impressing in the middle of the first half, it was the visitors who came closest to breaking the deadlock early on.
James Wesloski’s cross from the left-hand side dropped and Chris Neal had to make sure by touching the ball over his crossbar at the expense of a corner.
Ben Williamson made time and room for himself at the other end and managed to get a shot in from the edge of the 18-yard box, but fired high over the crossbar.
Jack Grimmer and Jennison Myrie-Williams combined well on the right flank for the latter to send in a low cross but Williamson’s shot from inside the box was gathered comfortably by Mark Oxley in the Oldham goal.
Vale were certainly not having things all their way through, with the Vale switching from one end to the other in quick succession, though Chris Neal was hardly troubled.
Vale went their closest yet midway through the first half after a fantastic determined run down the right by Grimmer – he pulled the ball back for Tom Pope to stroke home, but a visiting defender managed to get a foot in and Vale had to settle for a corner kick.
Vale had keeper Chris Neal to thank when the keeper raced off his line to avert the danger after James Dayton got through, courtesy of a lucky bounce but couldn’t get to the ball before the Vale stopper.
Vale were forced to make a change when new loan signing Flo Cuvelier appeared to twist his knee and was stretchered off and replaced by Chris Shuker in the 36th minute.
Jennison Myrie-Williams was cautioned, presumably for diving after he went down inside the Oldham penalty area and he was soon joined in the referee’s notebook by Joe Davis who was booked for a mistimed tackle.
Vale had a scare when there was an almighty scramble in front of Chris Neal’s goal, but Vale eventually managed to clear, with Grimmer going on a surging run down the middle before being halted, fairly, in the opinion of the match officials.
Vale finally got the breakthrough they were looking for in the 52nd minute when a corner from the right taken by Chris Shuker was met with a near-post effort from Jack Grimmer and the deadlock was broken.
Vale had the perfect opportunity to double their lead in the 65th minute when Dayton tripped Tom Pope inside the box and the referee pointed straight to the penalty spot.
Jennison Myre-Williams spotted the ball and hit it hard to Oxley’s right, but it was at a nice height for the Oldham’s keeper and he guessed correctly to make the save.
Vale hardly looked like increasing their lead as Oldham pressed for an equaliser, the home side perhaps guilty of sitting back and inviting the visitors on to them.
The home side had Chris Neal to thank when Vale’s keeper pulled off a superb save in the 86th minute with Vale looking more than a little ragged.
Port Vale: Chris Neal, Jack Grimmer, Chris Robertson, Joe Davis, Carl Dickinson, Jennison Myrie-Williams, Flo Cuvelier, Anthony Griffith, Doug Loft, Ben Williamson, Tom Pope.
Subs: Sam Johnson, Chris Shuker, Jordan Hugill, Ryan Lloyd, Louis Dodds, Adam Yates, Chris Birchall
Oldham Athletic: Mark Oxley, Jonathan Grounds, James Wesolowski, Genseric Kusunga, James Tarkowski, Korey Smith, Charlie McDonald, David Melloer, James Dayton, Danny Philliskirk, Gary Harkins
Subs: Adam Rooney, Jonson Clarke Harris, Carl Winchester, Adam Lockwood, Michael Petrasso, Davis Worrall, Paul Rachubka