Port Vale’s Academy players exit the Staffordshire Senior Cup after fine run following 6-3 defeat at Rushall Olympic on Tuesday night.
- Staffordshire Senior Cup Semi Final Match Report | Rushall Olympic 6 – 3 Port Vale
- Valiants lose out in the last four after making the semi-finals for the first time since 2015
- Tyrone Cadeau, Eli Fisher and Baylee Dipepa on the mark for young Valiants, who recovered in the second-half after three Rushall penalties contributed to the hosts leading 5-1 at the break
A young Port Vale side exited the Staffordshire Senior Cup at the semi-finals stage following a 6-3 defeat at Rushall Olympic on Tuesday night.
Despite goals from Tyrone Cadeau, Eli Fisher and Baylee Dipepa, the young Valiants bowed out, with Sam Mantom, who has played over 200 League One matches for Walsall, Scunthorpe United and Southend United, scoring a hat-trick for the hosts, and Will Shorrock, Callum Coyle and Kieran Cook also on the mark at Dales Lane.
The young Valiants were behind on 11 minutes when Alex Cameron was fouled in the penalty area and Mantom fired the spot-kick home, despite the best efforts of Arron Davies in the Vale goal.
As the quarter hour mark passed, Mantom doubled the hosts lead with a looping effort as the Valiants were left with a mountain to climb against the Southern League Premier side, who are chasing promotion this season.
Within a minute, Vale got back in the game, though, as Fisher did well to regain possession before Cadeau calmly finished inside the area.
Five minutes later, though, Rushall restored their two-goal advantage as a free-kick wasn’t dealt with and, though the initial effort was saved by Davies, Shorrock was on hand to finish.
Fisher hit the post after a good move involving Davies, Rhys Walters and Tommy McDermott, before Rushall added a fourth as half-time approached when Mantom fired in another penalty.
A third penalty of the half gave the opportunity for the hosts to score a fifth, which Coyle made sure of on the stroke of half-time.
Following the restart, Fisher forced a good save from Jake Weaver in the Rushall goal before substitute Dipepa smashed an effort against the crossbar as the Valiants looked to find a way back into the tie.
22 minutes from time the Valiants got a further goal back in the game through Fisher before Cook made sure of progress for Rushall on 80 minutes, attacking a cross from the side to beat Davies in the Vale goal.
Dipepa followed in a Walters effort that hit the post to make it 6-3 four minutes from time, though clearly there was too much for the young Valiants to do in the latter stages and the hosts progress to the Staffordshire Senior Cup final.
Port Vale: Davies, Lomax, Manhertz (Dipepa 55), Francis, Webb, Mahaffy, Cadeau, Walters, Fisher (Brazier 75), McDermott, Plant.
Subs: Sadiq, Lomax, Ryan.