Vale Park plays host once again on Tuesday night as we face Accrington Stanley after our original fixture was postponed before Christmas.
Both Vale and Stanley will be looking to put their recent form right, with Vale currently sitting in 14th on 36 points, whilst the visitors are down in 23rd on 25 points.
Here is some interesting pre-match reading before the Valiants face the Lancashire side under the lights at Vale Park.
The view from Darrell Clarke:
“The boys have an opportunity Tuesday night to show me who is up for it; you start looking for proper characters and I stand at the front of that queue to make sure that I pick the right team, the right shape and make sure that the characters on the pitch show they can perform and respond to a really poor performance,” said Darrell Clarke after Saturday’s defeat to Wycombe Wanderers.
“Momentum and confidence can go both ways and I will be standing right at the front of the queue to make sure that we prepare as well as we can and prepare better for Tuesday night.
“We have a chance on Tuesday night to go 10th with a game in hand so it’s not all doom and gloom, but we have to put a lot better performance on.”
Opposition Boss’ thoughts:
Speaking to www.accringtonstanley.co.uk, Stanley manager John Coleman said: “There is no point approaching this game in a downbeat manner, you have got to be upbeat.
“It’s a wonderful job we all love, it’s a great industry to be in and, while sometimes it can get you down, you realise how fortunate you are.
“We have 20 games to go, and we are going to stick our chest out and fight every inch of the way.
“We let ourselves down on Saturday. I take a share of the blame for the tactics I played. The players have to take their share of the blame for how they implemented those tactics buy, between us, we will get it right.”
Fixture Flashback:
FA Cup first round, Vale Park, Saturday 6th November 2021: Port Vale 5-1 Accrington Stanley
Today we are travelling back in time to the last occasion the two sides met, and it was Hat-trick hero James Wilson who starred in an emphatic victory over Accrington Stanley to put us in the 2nd round of the Emirates FA Cup last season.
Three goals from our number nine, a first Vale goal for Lewis Cass, and a stoppage-time strike from former loanee George Lloyd hammered home the victory for Valiants, with Ethan Hamilton also netting a consolation goal for Stanley.
Wilson grabbed his first of the match on the half-hour mark after he curled home a brilliant effort when one-on-one with Accrington keeper, Toby Savin.
Accrington were forced to finish the match with ten men after Colby Bishop was sent his marching orders for kicking out at Nathan Smith in an off-the-ball incident on 70 minutes.
One goal became two with just over 15 minutes to go after Wilson latched onto a loose ball and fired past Savin once again with aplomb.
Our forward’s hattrick was complete just six minutes later from just two yards out when he met Tom Conlon’s cross to prod home.
Hamilton grabbed a goal back for the visitors with six minutes remaining as he managed to get on the end of a Stanley free kick from 20 yards out.
Only a minute later, Cass scored his first goal for the club after receiving the ball from James Gibbons, he blasted a shot against the underside of the crossbar, and into the net.
The goals kept coming for the Valiants, and we got our fifth and final of the afternoon through Lloyd, who also netted his first goal for the club, finishing home after seeing his initial strike saved.
Last Time Out (League):
Sky Bet League One, Wham Stadium, Saturday 4th February 2023: Accrington Stanley 0-3 Lincoln City
Accrington Stanley were put to the sword as Lincoln City scored three to secure a much need three points at the Wham Stadium.
A first-half strike from Ben House, and a quickfire one-two at the start of the second half from Sean Roughan and Teddy Bishop sealed an emphatic victory for the Imps.
After a strong start from the visitors, House fired them into the lead from inside the area after being fed the ball by Bishop.
The Imps got their second 10 minutes after the break through Roughan, who managed to loop home the ball from close range.
One minute later, Stanley were down to ten men after Harry Perritt was forced to bring down Olamide Shodipo who was through on goal.
From the resulting free-kick, the visitors sealed the points with Bishop grabbing a goal for himself, curling the set piece into the top corner.
Stanley’s Team news:
The ‘Owd Reds will be without a number of players for their trip to Vale Park, including Doug Tharme who was stretchered off with a head injury in Saturday’s defeat to Lincoln City.
They will also be without Harry Perritt who will serve his one-match suspension after his red card against the Imps.
Form: WLWLL
14/01/23: Accrington Stanley 2-0 Bristol Rovers, Sky Bet League One
21/01/23: Barnsley 3-1 Accrington Stanley, Sky Bet League One
24/01/23: Accrington Stanley 1-0 Boreham Wood, FA Cup third-round replay
28/01/23: Accrington Stanley 1-3 Leeds United, FA Cup fourth round
04/02/23: Accrington Stanley 0-3 Lincoln City, Sky Bet League One