It’s another away day for Vale, but this time the Valiants don’t have to travel far as they face Burton Albion at the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday.
Currently, it’s the team from Burslem with the better record so far this season, as they sit on four points, whilst the hosts sit at the foot of the table on one.
Here is some interesting pre-match reading for the fascinating Staffordshire derby clash.
The view from Darrell Clarke:
“After the four games there has been this season there’s not a lot in the league already,” explained Darrell Clarke.
“I’ve watched a lot of League One games already, of opposition we have been playing in other games, that have been very close and competitive, so I expect the picture to stay relatively the same.”
Opposition’s Boss thoughts:
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink said, “Saturday’s game will be another difficult one but for different reasons.
“We need to bring the same intensity but there will be different aspects to the game.
“Port Vale will ask different questions, but the fundamentals will stay the same.”
Fixture Flashback:
Sky Bet League Two, Vale Park, Friday 5th April 2013: Port Vale 7-1 Burton Albion
We return to a day I’m sure you Valiants’ remember, a day in which a Lee Hughes hattrick saw us close in on automatic promotion as we thumped the Brewers 7-1 at Vale Park.
Hughes’ hattrick, a brace from substitute Ben Williamson, and goals from Chris Birchall and Tom Pope did the job for Vale, as they showed Burton and the rest of the league what they were capable of.
It was Hughes who opened the scoring with his head, after a brilliant cross Daniel Jones found the Vale marksman in the box.
The striker then added his second and gave Vale a two-goal cushion after a penalty was awarded, he calmly slotted home from the spot.
Birchall then decided he wanted in on the action when he added Vale’s third with a low strike beating Stuart Tomlinson just before the break.
In the second half, it didn’t take long for Hughes and the Valiants to get scoring again as another penalty was awarded to the home side, which once again the striker struck home, securing his hattrick.
The goals just wouldn’t stop for Vale with club legend Tom Pope netting his 32nd of the season in the 56th minute to put the Burslem side five to the good in the Staffordshire derby.
Unfortunately for the Valiants, they couldn’t manage a clean sheet in this one, as the Brewers netted a consolation goal through Matthew Paterson with 20 minutes left.
Sadly, for Hughes, he wouldn’t add any more to his tally when he was substituted in the 58th minute, but Williamson, who came on in his place, took over the goalscoring roll, netting the first of his brace in the 73rd minute.
The seventh and final goal for Vale came in the final minute with Williamson scoring the second of his two goals, capping off a fabulous day for the Valiants.
The win helped Vale towards securing automatic promotion in this season, as they finished third just two points above rivals Burton.
Port Vale | Neal, Purse Chilvers, Jones, Yates, Birchall, Griffith (72’ Shuker), Loft, Hughes (58’ Williamson), Myrie-Williams (65’ Dodds), Pope
Unused Subs | Johnson, McCombe, Duffy, Andrew
Burton Albion | Tomlinson, Sharps, Diamond, O’Connor, Fowler (46’ Paterson), MacDonald (61’ Corbett), McCrory, Maghoma, Dyer, Bell (79’ Palmer), Symes
Unused Subs | Lyness, Webster, Holness, Phillips
Last Time Out (League):
Sky Bet League One, Pirelli Stadium, Tuesday 16th August 2022: Burton Albion 0-1 Ipswich Town
The Brewers’ poor start to the season continued on Tuesday, with former Burton player Marcus Harness coming back to haunt his old side as Ipswich stayed top of Sky Bet League One.
The summer signing settled the tight encounter with a terrific strike from 20 yards out, ensuring Albion finished the day at the foot of the table.
The Town goal on the hour mark was harsh on an Albion side that had battled hard, but the brilliant effort from their former player was worthy to win most matches.
It was the hosts that set the pace, coming close early on with an effort from Gassan Ahadme who smashed onto the bar before being scrambled clear.
Ahadme was a thorn in the Tractor Boys' side when he once again caused them trouble, latching on to a poor back-pass from Harness, before seeing his effort saved by Christian Walton.
Ipswich then looked to seize the initiative, Freddie Ladapo got in behind the Burton defence, but he fired his effort wide of the post.
However, it was Albion with the better chances, and Joe Powell, an early substitute, came close when he fizzed a powerful free-kick strike just wide from 30-yards-out.
Both keepers had strong saves to make from one-on-one situations, with Viljami Sinisalo denying Ladapo, and Walton denying Ahadme, both after poor back passes.
The Brewers pushed for an equaliser late on, but couldn’t find it, and they continue to search for their first win of the season.
Ins and Outs:
Arrivals:
Burton have brought in six signings over the summer to try and bolster their squad, with one of those signings being striker Victor Adeboyejo from Barnsley.
Their new striker arrives in Staffordshire after scoring nine goals in just under 100 appearances in Yorkshire.
Adeboyejo will be hoping to find the net regularly for the Brewers after they lost their top scorer from last campaign, Daniel Jebbison, as he returned to his parent club Sheffield United last season.
On Friday the Brewers also announced the signing of Corrie Ndaba on loan from Ipswich Town, but It is unsure whether he will be able to feature against Vale on Saturday.
All arrivals | Adeboyejo, Keillor-Dunn, Butcher, Sinisalo, Onyango, Castro.
Departures:
There have been more departures than arrivals at Burton this summer, with 10 players leaving Staffordshire for new beginnings.
Ryan Leak, who netted against Vale for Albion last season, has left the club to move to Greater Manchester, singing a deal with Salford City after only one season at the Pirelli.
Another notable departure for the Brewers is Oumar Niasse, the former Everton Striker has left Albion after only a few months at the club, after scoring three goals in 12 games.
All Departures | Bostwick, Amadi-Holloway, Morris, Leak, Blake-Tracy, Hawkins, Hewlett, Latty-Fairweather, Niasse, Rowe.
Team news:
Conor Shaughnessy came off early on in their fixture against Ipswich on Tuesday, and he is now set for two months off the pitch, so will miss Saturday’s match.
Calum Butcher, who has been injured, might be ready to face Vale at the Weekend, so the hosts will be hoping he is available.
Albion will be expecting a near to full strength squad, other than those two possible absentees.
Form: LLLDL
30/07/22: Wycombe Wanderers 3-0 Burton Albion, Sky Bet League One
06/08/22: Burton Albion 0-4 Bristol Rovers, Sky Bet League One
09/08/22: Rochdale 2-0 Burton Albion, Carabao Cup first round
13/08/22: Accrington Stanley 4-4 Burton Albion, Sky Bet League One
16/08/22: Burton Albion 0-1 Ipswich Town, Sky Bet League One