The Valiants will be looking to make it ten games unbeaten in all competitions on Tuesday as we welcome Burton Albion to Vale Park.
Vale come into the game off the back of a victory against Northampton Town on Saturday after Ben Garrity fired home a low effort in the second half to earn his side a 1-0 victory. This result shot the Valiants up to 2nd place in Skybet League One, just below table toppers Exeter City who have a superior goal difference.
Crosby’s Comments
Andy Crosby reacts to Saturday’s 1-0 victory against Northampton Town:
“I thought our performance was exceptional. I thought we had control of the game with and without the ball. It’s very difficult to break down a team when they have everyone behind the ball, and they changed formation four times to try and stop us, but we dominated the whole game. We kept probing and kept working the ball, we kept trying to move them and look for spaces to play through the lines. The guys who came from the side of the pitch to impact the game did exactly their job, that’s what they’re asked to do.
“We dominated the whole game with and without the ball and the lower they went; you keep trying to find spaces and it’s difficult to find them. They defended their box really well, fair play to them. We sustained attacks, we counter-pressed really well. When they played a forward ball, we turned the ball back over again. Our organisation behind the ball was really good. We just kept going, we kept trying to find a way, we’re a fit group and we went right to the end and got our rewards.”
The Opposition
Burton Albion currently sit in 22nd place in League One with two points from seven league games this season, picked up from draws against Wycombe Wanderers and Bolton Wanderers where they drew 0-0 and 1-1 respectively.
Former Stevenage manager Dino Maamria is currently in the hot seat at the Pirelli Stadium. He joined Burton Albion in 2021 when he was appointed as Assistant Manager to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. The pair steered the club away from relegation in the 2021/22 season after they picked up nine victories in their first 12 games. After staying in the league the season before, Jimmy Floyd Hasslebank resigned just a month into the 2022/23 season. Maamria was then placed appointed as manager where he guided the Brewers to 15th place last season.
One to watch – John Brayford
The 35-year-old began his career at Burton Albion back in 2006, where he became the first graduate of the clubs new academy. Brayford went on to made 77 appearances for The Brewers in a 2-year spell. In the summer of 2008, he made the short trip to join to Crewe Alexandra, after a spell at The Railwaymen he joined Derby County for over £1 million in 2010. He immediately became a main-stay in the Derby side during their 2010-11 Championship season. In fact, we played every minute of the Rams 48 league games over the course of the season. At the end of what was a successful season for Brayford, he was named as supporters’ player of the season.
In 2011, Brayford extended his contract at Derby, but shortly after he picked up an injury that would be the story of the remainder of his career at the Rams. After numerous injuries he was unable to cement his place in the side and in 2013 he moved to Cardiff City for £1.5 million. In the first half of the 2013/14 season, he only played in their two league cup games and failed to make the bench in any of their league games and so he joined Sheffield United on loan in January 2014. He was reunited with Nigel Clough for the third time, he became a cult figure at The Blades, helping them finish 7th in the league along with a trip to Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final.
Following Cardiff’s relegation to the championship, Brayford returned to South Wales and played in all their games up until January before Sheffield United signed Brayford on a permanent deal in January 2015. Two-and-a-half years later, Brayford was released by The Blades. He re-joined his boyhood club in 2017 where he has since played more then 250 games for Burton Albion.
Last Season’s Fixtures
Burton Albion 0-2 Port Vale, Saturday 20th August 2022.
Last season, we picked up our first three points of the season after we ran out 2-0 winners at the Pirelli Stadium. Ben Garrity opened the scoring just after half time when he hammered home a rebound after Ellis Harrison’s initial effort was saved. Harrison then doubled Vale’s lead when he broke following a Burton attack. Harrison picked up the ball inside his own half before running the length of the pitch and tucking home to spark delirium in the packed away end behind the goal.
Port Vale 2-3 Burton Albion, Saturday 18th March 2023.
Ellis Harrison opened the scoring for the Vale after just two minutes when he bundled the ball over the line following Aaron Donnelly’s headed cross. Vale’s lead didn’t last long as Burton levelled just six minutes later when Dale Taylor’s deflected effort found the bottom corner. Three minutes after the break, Jonny Smith put the Brewers ahead when he scored a penalty. Taylor then grabbed his second goal of the game in the 68th minute when turned in a cross from close range. Jamie Proctor then made the scores 3-2 with a close range finish but that’s how the game ended as the visitors took home all three points.
Fixture Throwback
Port Vale 7-1 Burton Albion, Friday 5th April 2013
It would be criminal took preview a home game against Burton Albion without looking back at the memorable Friday night at Vale Park in April 2013.
The Vale took the lead through Lee Hughes after he headed home Dan Jones’ cross from the left side. Soon after, Hughes grabbed his second when he scored a penalty after Tom Pope was bundled over in the box.
Chris Birchall then added a third for Vale when his long range effort bounced over the outstretched Stuart Tomlinson in the Burton goal.
In the second half, the Valiants continued their dominance. Doug Loft was tripped in the box, allowing Hughes the chance to complete his hat trick from the spot. The veteran striker made no mistake as he sent Tomlinson the wrong way to extend Vale’s lead.
Tom Pope then got on the score sheet when he got on the end of Hughes’ flick-on to score his 32nd goal of the season.
In the 73rd minute Burton pulled a goal back when Matt Patterson fired home a thunderous strike into the top corner. However, this didn’t stop Vale as Ben Williamson added a sixth when he broke free and finished well.
Williamson rounded off the scoring when he headed home Chris Shuker’s freekick to make it 7-1 and complete an outstanding performance from the Valiants in what was one of the more memorable games in Vale Park’s recent history.