Vale record their second win of the pre-season
The match was described by Vale boss Micky Adams as a ‘training exercise’, but it’s always nice to see the team record a win, regardless of the opposition and the importance of the game.
Vale moved the ball around well on a lush surface at the Aspire Stadium, in sweltering conditions perhaps more suitable for watching the game than playing in it.
The shirt-sleeved crowd certainly seemed to enjoy the afternoon and the bar takings will qurely have been more than pleasing for the home club’s coffers.
On the pitch, it went all Vale’s way and the newly promoted League One side finished up with a fairly comfortable victory, though in fairness to the home side, they gave it their all and contributed to an entertaining game of football.
Latest signing Chris Lines, who joined the club from Sheffield Wednesday earlier this week, started the game, but although he was due to start the second half as well but was withdran, feeling a little sore.
Last season’s top goal scorer Tom Pope opened the scoring after five minutes when he took full advantage of an error by James Askey inside the box to slot home.
Louis Dodds added a second on 14 minutes with a deft flick over the ‘keeper’s head, following a long through ball from Richard Duffy.
Pope rattled the ‘keeper’s left upright five minutes later and Dodds went close when he lifted the ball over the crossbar, but there was no further goal action in the opening forty-five minutes.
Newcastle ‘keeper Dave Parton had been busy during the first half of the game, making several decent saves to keep Vale at bay and timing his runs from his goal line to perfection.
Vale made wholesale changes at the break and it was one of the new faces , Gavin Tomlin, who added Vale’s third goal after 51 minutes, turning sharply and drilling the ball past Parton.
Tomlin then added his third in two games, and Vale’s fourth of the afternoon, albeit rather fortuitously when his cross from the right flew over the ‘keeper’s head and into the net.
The two sides continued to make further changes throughout the second half, so many it was difficult to keep track of, but one thing remained the same and the score finished at 0-4.
With thirteen goals scored and two clean sheets from the two pre-season friendlies played so far, and no major injuries – just a few blisters – Micky Adams and his staff will be well pleased with their start.
FIRST HALF:
Newcastle Town:Dave Parton, Matt Lowe, James Askey, Warren Holmes, Aaron Carter, Andy Nicholls, Kyle Diskin, Dan Skelton, Tom France, Nathan Sutton, Tim Sanders.
Port Vale:Chris Neal, Adam Yates, Chris Lines, Chris Robertson, Joe Davis, Richard Duffy, Jennison Myrie-Williams, Doug Loft, Tom Pope, Ben Williamson, Louis Dodds.
SECOND HALF:
Newcastle Town:Dave Parton, Matt Lowe, James Askey, Warren Holmes, Aaron Carter, Andy Nicholls, Kyle Diskin, Dan Skelton, Jordan Cole, Leon Ashman, Ashley Hill.
Port Vale:Sam Johnson, Adam Yates, Richard Duffy, Liam Chilvers, Joe Davis, Gary O’Neill, Ryan Lloyd, Chris Shuker, Liam Dickinson, Gavin Tomlin, Kaid Mohamed.
ATTENDANCE:1, 446