Striker doesn't want to tempt fate

goal of the season at the weekend, Tom pope won’t be setting any goal targets just in case everything turns sour.^thDespite netting his 26

With nineteen games to play, who knows how many he could finish up with? That is something he refuses to contemplate.

He says: “I just take every game as it comes. I think if I turned around and said something stupid I would probably end up with a career-ending injury or something.

“I don’t want to put the mockers on that, I don’t set targets, I just take each game as it comes and hopefully I can score in every game and get another nineteen.

“I know that is not going to happen, but it depends on the balls into the box and if the lads keep putting balls in there I am sure the goals will keep coming.”

So, no goal targets, but what about Vale’s chances of promotion? Obviously the striker knows we have a great chance, but nobody at the club is thinking that far ahead just yet.

Pope said: “Since the start of the season we have always been there or thereabouts and we haven’t really slipped up.

“We had a three or four game spell where we were dropping points, but so was everybody else. A lot of the teams around us dropped points on Saturday, but we have just got to carry on doing our job.

“As long as we keep doing what we do, it doesn’t matter what else happens and the best part about it is we have played Gillingham twice, Rotherham twice, Fleetwood twice and after Bradford this week Bradford twice.

“All of the teams that are going to be there or thereabouts are going to be playing each other and we have got them out of the way.

“It is not going to be easy and we are not going to look that far ahead, but with the experience the gaffer has brought in I am sure they are going to help us try and get over the line and give us every chance.”