Defender believes Vale deserved at least a point

Defender Ryan McGivern was disappointed that the performance that Vale produced, ended in a 2-0 defeat at Burton Albion on Saturday.

The Valiants, who played most of the match with ten men after Uche Ikpeazu was sent off for two bookable offences inside 26 minutes, produced a gritty and determined performance but late goals from Tom Naylor and Nasser El Khayati left Vale with no points to show for it.

Burton were also reduced to ten men just before they took the lead when Robbie Weir was dismissed for a dangerous tackle on Sam Foley.

Speaking to the media after the game, McGivern said:

“It is very disappointing really, we showed great character.

“We rode our luck at times but I think we fully deserved, the way we defended more or less the whole game, at least a point.”

“Mentally to play 70-odd minutes with ten men is a massive ask at any level and although we did ride our luck at times with blocks but that’s what you have to do when you go down to ten men.

“We defended not just as a back four or five but all the way from the front.”

The Northern Ireland international kept his place in the starting line-up and was impressed by the performance of himself and his centre back partner, Richard Duffy.

“I thought we kept them pretty quiet, the chances they did have were out of the box.

“They didn’t create any clear cut chances everything was from outside the box.

“We got our bodies in the way then block shots and clearances but you need to do that at times.”

Although McGivern admits the sending-off of Ikpeazu impacted the game, he believes that the alleged simulation in the area that led to the second booking is not within the striker’s nature.

“Uche is not the kind of character to be diving especially when he is on a yellow card. He felt he was clipped and that’s what I thought at the time.

“We need to see it back and see but like I say Uche’s not that kind of a player, it was a harsh one.”

With Ikpeazu now set to serve a suspension, McGivern is confident that there is enough quality in the squad to fill the striker’s shoes.

“We have Colin Daniel, who ran his legs off today, he does that week in week out so I’m sure he is more than capable of stepping in.

“We’ve seen JJ(Hooper) coming off the bench and he’s had to be very patient like myself. He got five or ten minutes but he’s another striker that can be a handful.”