Port Vale manager reacts to his side’s 1-0 win against Milton Keynes Dons at Vale Park.
- Darrell Clarke | “We take the positives because we were comfortable for the majority of the game”
- Port Vale manager speaks to the media following 1-0 win against MK Dons in League One at Vale Park
- Clarke: “Compared to the last two performances, when we got beat, it wasn’t near that standard – it is a strange old game.”
Port Vale manager Darrell Clarke was pleased to come away with three points as the Vale climbed to 13th in the League One table with a 1-0 victory against MK Dons on Saturday.
Aaron Donnelly’s first senior career goal secured the victory for Clarke’s side, with he manager stating post-match that his side were the better team, albeit the performance didn’t hit the heights of the last two matches, when strangely the Vale lost both games.
“It was an average performance but I thought we deserved to win the game, we were the better team and their goalkeeper pulled off two excellent saves in the second half.
“Compared to the last two performances, when we got beat, it wasn’t near that standard – it is a strange old game.
“We weren’t hanging on; I thought if we had got a second it would have been a more comfortable afternoon, though.
“I don’t think Stoney had a shot on target to deal with, we defended strongly, but we will take that after getting no points in the last two for better performances.
“The last three performances have been decent; if I am being honest, this has been the worst of the three but we got the three points, a 1-0 at home, so we take the positives because we were comfortable for the majority of the game.”
Clarke introduced James Wilson from the bench in the second half, with the striker making his first appearance of 2023 in the win at Vale Park.
And the manager said the striker’s return is welcome to add further competition in the forward line.
“It is great to have our nines back,” Clarke said. “It is great to be able to take the calibre of players of [Ellis] Harrison and [Matty] Taylor off and bring on [Jamie] Proctor and Wilson. They are short on match minutes but it serves well for competition for places.”