Grew warns of dangers and reveals a former favourite has given Vale a helping hand

Dagenham & Redbridge are tonight’s visitors to Vale Park (kick off 7.45pm) and the team will be well prepared for the problems the Daggers are likely to throw at them.

Not only did Vale have tonight’s opponents watched, Assistant Manager Mark Grew spoke to former Vale favourite Gareth Ainsworth, whose Wycombe side lost to Dagenham at the weekend.

He said: “I spoke to Gareth yesterday and he said their performance was excellent. They were totally committed to the manager and they were competitive all around the pitch and we know we are in for a battle.

“The onus is on us to go forward tonight, that’s for sure. Being the home team we have got to get people in the box and get forward.

“We know, after speaking to Gareth yesterday, we have to be careful at set-pieces. They are big, strong, they put long throws into the box.

“We have got to be dogged like we were at Bradford on Saturday, where people stick their heads in there when boots are flying, and if we have that same commitment that will be superb.

“We have got to defend right because we are coming up against a big side tonight and if we keep giving silly free kicks away and allowing the ball to come into our box we will be in trouble.”