Priority is the League, but Vale looking to win tonight

Three Vale players are forced to sit out tonight’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tie against Bradford City (Kick Off 7.15am) but Mark Grew feels confident the players who come in can do a good job for the team.

Leading goal scorer Tom Pope picked up his fifth booking of the season at Bramall Lane at the weekend, as did defender Richard Duffy and midfielder Ryan Burge, but Grew isn’t too upset about the suspensions.

He said: “It’s never a good time to lose players, but our priority is the League, so they are going to miss tonight’s game but they will all be available for Saturday.

“Chesterfield is going to be a tough game for us on Saturday, but we are just going to have to take it on the chin tonight and make changes.

“We believe we can go all the way in this competition. A few of us at the club have been there in the final before at the Millennium and it was a fantastic occasion.

“We will be taking this game seriously. The lads who come in tonight are all experienced players, so it won’t be an inexperienced side by any means.

“Just looking at the bench on Saturday, we had the captain, Doug Loft, and we have also got the likes of Sam Morsy who didn’t make the squad. There are players who can come in and do a job.

“We’re not going in there light hearted. We will probably be just as strong as we were on Saturday against Sheffield United.

“It is a difficult one for Bradford. They have got replay after replay, but I think their priority is still the League.

“The Gaffer went to watch them on Friday, but we don’t think it will be anywhere near that team because as I say, Phil Parkinson’s priority will be Saturday.

“I don’t think he will want to give his players another ninety minutes, he will be wanting to rest some of them ready for Saturday’s game.

“We went there earlier this season and I think we were a little bit fortunate. We had the one chance and scored and we defended excellently.”