Vale well beaten at Ashton Gate

Tuesday 25th March 2014

Bristol City v Port Vale
League One

Vale made just the one predicted change with 'keeper Sam Johnson coming in for the injured Chris Neal. The only other change was on the bench, where the place vacated by Johnson was taken up by Ryan Boot.


Ryan Boot, Daniel Jones, Chris Robertson, Louis Dodds, Gavin Tomlin, Chris Birchall, Jordan Hugill SUBS: Sam Johnson, Adam Yates, Carl Dickinson, Doug Loft, Jennison Myrie-Williams, Tom Pope, Ben Williamson, Jack Grimmer, Anthony Griffith, Richard Duffy, Billy Knott. PORT VALE:
Dave Richards, Brendan Moloney, Liam Kelly, Stephen Pearson, Tyrone Barnett, Wes Burns, Simon Gillett SUBS: Frank Fielding, Derrick Williams, Wade Elliott, Sam Baldock, Jay Emanuel-Thomas, Scott Wagstaff, Greg Cunningham, Marlon Pack, Martin Paterson, Karleigh Osborne, Nyron Nosworthy,    BRISTOL CITY:

10,940 including 100 visiting supporters Ashton Gate
Attendance:

Vale were in search of their first away win since November, when they took all three points back up the M6 from Walsall.

minute.^stThe last time they recorded a victory at Ashton Gate was back in September 2003 when Billy Paynter settled things with the only goal of the game in the 71

minute with Vale trailing by four clear goals.^thDespite a decent performance during the first half of the game, defensive errors again cost Val and the game was all over by the 45

Already a goal down after 15 minutes, Vale suddenly collapsed, conceding a further three goals in a six minute spell right before the interval and they were never going to recover from that.

Vale started off on the front foot and were looking very lively in the opening moments of the game, pressing high up the pitch.

minute when Jennison Myrie-Williams cut inside from the right and hit a 20 yard drive just wide of the target.^thThe first real chance either side had to take the lead came in the 8

Despite Vale having marginally the better of the opening exchanges it was the home side who struck first with fifteen minutes on the clock.

GOAL: goal of the season from the edge of the box.^th minute, backing off as he approached the 18 yard box before the Bristol man drove home his 20^th far too much space and time in the 15JAY EMANUEL-THOMASVale allowed

The home side now with their tails up, started to boss the game for a spell, but Vale settled down again and began to threaten and Williamson was unfortunate not to level the scores when Fielding made a point-blank save to deny the Vale man.

Again Vale were having the better of the play, but the home side almost added a second when goal scorer Emanuel-Thomas bust into the Vale box, this time firing wide.

Fielding got down well to save fairly comfortably from a 25 yard low drive from Vale skipper Doug Loft as Vale continued to probe for the equaliser.

Sam Johnson did well to push a 20 yard free kick over his cross bar with 40 minutes on the clock, just seconds later the home side doubled their lead.

GOAL: was on hand to head home.NYRON NOSWORTHYA long throw from Emanuel Thomas was knocked on inadvertently by the head of a Vale defender and

GOAL: time to pick his spot from 15 yards.SAM BALDOCKFour minutes later things went from bad to worse when Bristol struck for a third time. Vale defenders again backed off and allowed

GOAL: finding the net with a superbly struck 25 yard free kick which he curled over Sam Johnson.EMANUEL THOMASJust a minute later the home side struck again, this time it was

Vale, not too surprisingly, made a triple substitution at the start of the second half. Off went Adam Yates, Jack Grimmer and Anthony Griffith and their replacements were Gacvin Tomlin, Chris Robertson and Daniel Jones.

As though Vale hadn’t had the warnings during the first half, Emanuel Thomas again made space for himself, managing to get inside the Vale box but firing wide as the home side looked to add to their already comfortable lead.

As they had in the first half of the game, Vale were having more than their fair share of the ball, but with no rewards in terms of the only stat that really counts.

minute.^thVale were reduced to ten men after Carl Dickinson was yellow carded twice in the space of two minutes, the first one for dissent and the second for a wild challenge in the 67

GOAL:, who kept his composure, steadied himself and fired past Johnson to make it five-nil.BALDOCK minute when Elliott threaded the ball through for ^thThe Robins went nap in the 74