We’re looking to make it three wins in a row on Tuesday night as we host Barrow in a rearranged fixture.
The Valiants come into the game off the back of a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Morecambe at the weekend. Ronan Curtis’ late strike was enough to earn Vale all three points as we climbed to 4th in the League table
Gaffer's Thoughts:
Here’s what the gaffer had to say following our victory at the weekend:
“Credit to the players for the way they kept going right to the end. I said to Derek (Adams), I thought his team were heroic. They were determined and plucky in their defending and blocked some wonderful attempts at goal.
“But if the ball was going to drop like that to anybody at that distance, it was Ronan because of his clean strike.”
Darren Moore also spoke ahead of tonight’s fixture:
“The win for us is fantastic, it’s what we wanted to achieve. We savour this now and then fix our mindset to Tuesday against a Barrow team that’s vastly improving. It’s another difficult game and a different team that we’re going to come up against.
“We’ll dust ourselves down and recover. We’ll do our work and get prepared for that Barrow game.”
The Opposition
Barrow currently sit in 17th position, fifteen points above the drop zone with nine games to go.
The Bluebirds come into the game off the back of an impressive 2-2 draw on Saturday at Wimbledon. In the 85th minute Barrow were 2-0 down and looked destined for a comfortable loss. However, goals from Dean Campbell and a 95th leveller from Connor Mahoney earned them a point in the capital.
This point made it four games unbeaten in a row after wins over Notts County and Carlisle United and another 2-2 draw against Morecambe.
On the road this season, Barrow haven’t been great. In their nineteen away fixtures they have only picked up three wins, losing eleven and drawing five.
Who’s in Charge?
Former Coventry City and Oxford United defender Andy Whing is the current Barrow manager. He joined the club in January 2025 following the departure of Stephen Clemence.
This is Whing’s first EFL role after managerial spells at Banbury United and Solihull Moors. Whing guided Banbury United to the National League North before leaving to join National League side, Solihull Moors. During his two-year spell at the The Moors he would guide his side to the play offs and to the FA Trophy final where they were defeated by Bromley.
Player to Watch
Attacking midfield Elliot Newby has had a productive season to date. He has seven assists and two goals so far this season, three of these assists came in the reverse fixture against the Valiants when he came off the bench to change the game. Newby is in hot form, he comes into the game off the back of two assists in as many games.
Another player to keep an eye on his wing back Brad Jackson. He has picked up nine assists so far this season. He also found the net when the sides met in the Carabao Cup earlier in the season.
Former Valiant Ben Whitfield returned to Barrow on loan in January. He has so far picked up three assists and one goal in his nine games for Barrow. Another former Valiant who plays for Barrow is Sam Foley, the former Vale midfielder has been filling in at centre-back as part of a back three.
Fixture Throwback
Port Vale 3-1 Barrow, Saturday 16th October 2021
The last three meetings between the sides have been at Barrow, the last time Vale Park hosted this encounter was back in 2021 and it was the Valiants who picked up all three points.
The visitors took the lead just after the half hour mark when Ollie Bank’s driven free-kick had enough power to beat Lucas Covolan in the Vale goal.
Vale hit back straight after half time when Dennis Politic latched onto Tom Pett’s pass before turning his man, going past the onrushing keeper and then calmly slotting home into the empty net.
Vale’s comeback was completed five minutes later when David Worrall’s low cross from the right was turned home by James Jones who sliced a clearance into his own net.
The scoring was rounded off five minutes from time when Mal Benning’s long range drive crashed off the post before coming straight back to him where Benning found the bottom corner to earn his side all three points at Vale Park.
Ref Watch
Zac Kennard-Kettle will take charge of Tuesday’s fixture. He will be assisted by Emily Carney and Matthew Jones. Thomas Harty has been appointed the fourth official.
Kennard-Kettle is the son of former EFL ref Trevor Kettle. Zac last took charge a Vale game earlier this when he took charge of our 1-0 victory over Morecambe at the Globe Arena.
