Match Report from Vale Park

Attendance: 5,593 including 828 visiting supporters
Saturday 30th August 2014
At Vale Park
League One
Port Vale v Chesterfield

Vale were beaten at home for the third time in eight days when newly promoted Chesterfield deservedly took the three points with them back home to Derbyshire.

The impressive Spireites went in front after just 9 minutes when Eoin Doyle bundled the ball over the line after Gary Robert’s effort had struck the upright.

Vale levelled through winger Mark Marshall five minutes before the interval, but Roberts hit what turned out to be the deciding goal just seconds into the second half.

As expected, Micky Adams made several changes from the eleven that started against Cardiff City in midweek, but just the one change from the starting line-up against Notts County,

In came Colin Daniel, who played on Tuesday night, in place of Chris Birchall, who had to be satisfied with a role as a substitute..

He was joined on the bench by new loan signing Jordan Slew, who finally joined Vale on the eve of the game after weeks of speculation.

Former Valiant, Daniel Jones, who left Vale Park under a coud last season wasn’t given the best of welcomes from the home support, who booed the Spireite defender’s every move.

There were chances at both ends in the opening stages of the game – Mark Marshall got on the end of a corner taken by Chris Lines to test ‘keeper Tommy Lee with a far post header.

Then the visitors had two efforts deflected wide of the target within the space of a minute, first Roberts was denied and then former Vale midfielder Sam Morsy had to settle for a corner.

GOAL: was on hand to finish it off, bundling the ball home with the ball going in off his knee.EOIN DOYLE minute. Gary Roberts cut inside onto his left foot and his 20 yard shot struck the far post, but ^thThe visitors struck the opening blow in the 9

Things began to heat up a little on the pitch, with Vale’s Fredi Veseli and Jones for the visitors each receiving yellow cards in quick succession.

Vale went close midway through the first half. Ben Williamson did well before slotting the ball into the box for Tom Pope, who controlled and turned all in one go to shoot, hitting the outside of Lee’s left hand upright.

Vale were struggling to contain the visitors at times and rarely mae any headway at the opposite end of the pitch, but that was to change before half time.

GOAL:, playing on the right hand side, cut inside after receiving the ball 30 yards from goal, burst into the box andfired past Lee from 15 yards to level the scores.MARK MARSHALLWinger

Moments later Vale went close to adding a second when Tom Pope headed Marshall’s cross back across the face of goal, Chris Lines slid in at the far post but couldn’t quite manage to steer the ball inside the post.

GOAL: ran at goal, twisting and turning from one side to the other before firing home from 12 yards with just 16 seconds gone.GARY ROBERTS It was a dream start to the second half for the visitors.  

The visitors had claims for a penalty waved aside when Armand Gnanduillet went down in the box while being tracked by Veseli – the Ivorian was duly booked for diving.

Chesterfield stopper Tommy Lee did well to block when Colin Daniel tried his luck after turning just inside the box as Vale looked to level the scores for a second time.

Vale made changes on 64 minutes. Byron Moore came on for Colin Daniel and Ben Wiliamson made way for Jordan Slew.

It was Chesterfield, however, who went close to grabbing the next goal when Gnanduillet’s effort was headed off the line by Vale defender Ryan McGivern.

Vale made a third substitution on 70 minutes, Michael Brown entering the fray as a replacement for Chris Lines.

minute when Slew was on hand to follow up after Marshall’s shot was saved, but the flag had rightly been raised for offside and the ‘goal’ didn’t count.^stVale had the ball in the net in the 81

minute when Ian Evatt picked up his second yellow card after a crude challenge on Jordan Slew.^rdChesterfield were reduced to ten men in the 83

Vale had an opportunity to level four minutes into stoppage time when Fredi Veseli’s right wing cross was met by the head of Tom Pope, but unfortunately he didn’t manage to hit the target.

PORT VALE: Chris Neal, Chris Birchall, Louis Dodds, Moichael Brown, Steve Jennings, Byron Moore, Jordan Slew SUBS: Sam Johnson, Frederic Veseli, Carl Dickinson, Richard Duffy, Ryan McGivern, Chris Lines, Michael O’Connor, Mark Marshall, Ben Williamson, Tom Pope.   

CHESTERFIELD: Aaron Chapman, Charlie Raglan, Ollie Banks, Michael Onovwigun, Charlie Dawes, Gboly Ariyibi, Jack Broadhead. SUBS:Tommy Lee, Ian Evatt, Tendayi Darikwa, Jimmy Ryan, Eoin Doyle, Daniel Jones, Sam Morsy, Daniel Johnson, Sam Hird, Gary Roberts, Armand Gnanduillet.