Stalemate at The Lamex Stadium as the Valiants take a point on the road.
At a wet Lamex Stadium, the Valiants started the brighter creating two early chances in the opening stages. Tom Sang’s cross from the right was parried away by Taye Ashby-Hammond only as far as Ryan Loft but his first time volley at an awkward height went over the bar.
Funso Ojo came close to putting us ahead on ten minutes following a corner. Ethan Chislett’s initial ball was cleared to the edge of the area where Ojo was waiting but his curling effort was tipped over the bar for another corner.
Six minutes later the hosts responded with their first effort of the game. Jordan Roberts found space in the area but his shot did not threaten Connor Ripley as it flew high over the crossbar.
Stevenage came again on 27 minutes with a barrage of shots. The first was well saved by Ripley as our number one got down low before a follow-up shot from Nick Freeman was blocked and then blasted over the bar by Freeman.
Stevenage’s number ten was certainly looking like host’s biggest threat as Freeman had another opportunity on 35 minutes. But as he was running in on our defence, good pressure from Ben Garrity meant Freeman scuffed his shot well wide of Ripley’s goal.
Three minutes later, the Valiants were back on the attack with a deep ball to the back post aimed towards James Plant. Unfortunately for the wing-back, he had more time than he thought as his header was claimed by Ashby-Hammond.
The first chance of the second half fell the way of the Valiants from a corner. There were several Vale shirts being pulled in the area but referee Scott Jackson was unmoved. Kofi Balmer got his head to Sang’s ball in but Ashby-Hammond made an excellent save to tip it over the bar.
We were continuing to ask questions from set pieces. Another Sang delivery from a corner was met in the area on the hour mark, this time Garrity got his head to it but his effort was unfortunately too high.
Two minutes later Stevenage had a huge opportunity to take the lead after they dispossessed the Valiants high up the pitch. Jamie Reid was sent one on one with Ripley but the Vale keeper made himself big to keep the score level.
Six minutes from time it was Stevenage’s turn to cause trouble from a corner. Carl Piergianni rose highest in box but his header flew over Ripley’s bar.
Stevenage | Taye Ashby-Hammond, Luther James-Wildin, Dan Butler, Nathan Thompson, Carl Piergianni, Jake Forster-Caskey, Nick Freeman, Jordan Roberts (75’ Elliot List), Kane Smith, Terence Vancooten (86’ Louis Thompson), Jamie Reid (86’ Aaron Pressley)
Unused Subs | Krisztian Hegyi, Finley Burns Ben Thompson, Kane Hemmings
Port Vale | Connor Ripley, Tom Sang (66’ Gavin Massey), Kofi Balmer, Nathan Smith, Ben Garrity, Ryan Loft (46’ Uche Ikpeazu), Ethan Chislett (73’ Alfie Devine), Funso Ojo, Jason Lowe, Ollie Arblaster, James Plant (66’ Mitch Clark)
Unused Subs | Jayson Leutwiler, Jesse Debrah, Josh Thomas