Assistant manager delighted with the Vale’s performance as progress to the last 16 of the Papa Johns Trophy was secured with a 2-1 victory over Barnsley at Vale Park.
- Andy Crosby | “There were some really good moments within the game”
- Port Vale assistant manager Andy Crosby on the Vale’s 2-1 Papa Johns Trophy win against Barnsley at Vale Park
- Crosby: “The aim at the start of the night was to get through to the next round, we have done that, it is four wins out of four [in the competition] and we put ourselves in a good place by going into the last eight of the Northern section for the draw tomorrow.”
Port Vale assistant manager Andy Crosby says the Vale enjoyed “some really good moments” as Darrell Clarke’s side secured a 2-1 win against Barnsley at Vale Park on Wednesday evening.
First-half goals from Dennis Politic and David Worrall sealed the Vale’s place in the last 16 of the Papa Johns Trophy ahead of Thursday’s draw.
Reflecting post-match with iFollow the Vale, Crosby said:
“There were some really good moments within the game, we deservedly got ourselves 2-0 up and I think the only disappointment from the night is that we don’t finish off the game with the third and possibly go on and win it by more.
“The aim at the start of the night was to get through to the next round, we have done that, it is four wins out of four [in the competition] and we put ourselves in a good place by going into the last eight of the Northern section for the draw tomorrow.
“All in all, a good night’s work with minutes into some people who maybe haven’t had an opportunity for a while. It was difficult conditions for both teams on a heavy pitch but I thought it was a decent enough spectacle for the supporters who turned up.
“We spoke at half-time – at 2-0 - that the game was more than alive for the opposition, at 3-0 it becomes extremely difficult and when we didn’t get that third goal you leave yourselves open. Jack [Stevens] didn’t have anything to do and there was a heavy deflection for the goal and suddenly the momentum and the mindset starts playing tricks with you. We saw the game out quite comfortably, though, and made a little tweak to the formation towards the end and other players came on the pitch.”
Politic’s opener was provided by Rory Holden, before the Romanian set up Worrall’s second, and Crosby was pleased with the impact from both attacking midfield players on their respective returns to the starting XI.
“It was good to see Rory and Dennis be influential in those ten positions and them half spaces,” Crosby explained. “Dennis scores again in this competition and is up there with the leading goalscorers in the competition.
“It was a great weight of pass from Rory and Dennis showed composure and intelligence with his finish. When he gets in those kind of positions, he generally finishes with at least an effort on goal.
“He is probably still playing catch up in terms of minutes, but when he gets an opportunity he is now showing moments – which he has to – because he has to create, he has to score, he has to do well for the team without the ball and if he keeps doing those things then he puts real pressure on other people.”
Holden and Politic both played their part in some creative moments throughout for the Vale and Crosby added that some of the passages of play the Vale supporters in attendance witnessed is part of what the coaching staff and players are continuing to develop.
“We are trying to evolve our style,” he continued. “The ball becomes more important with the higher up that you go. We are not Barcelona, we are not Manchester City – we are not claiming to be – but we are trying to introduce certain things, certain passages with our play.
“We went across the pitch from one side to the other and then we went through and we scored a really good goal [for the second].”