Report: Vale v Carlisle
Port Vale v Carlisle United
At Vale Park
Tuesday 1st September 2015
Johnstone's Paint Trophy
Attendance: 2,571 including 199 visiting supporters
Vale edged their way into the next round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy despite not being at their best against a Carlisle side looking to do well in the competition.
Carlisle substitute Jabo Ibehre, who had already netted nine goals this season showed what a threat he could be when he came off the bench and had no less than three efforts cleared off the line.
minute of the game.thIt was the home side who finished the game with a win, however, thanks to Uche Ikpeazu’s third goal of the season when he struck in the 60
Rob Page made three changes to the starting line-up for the visit of Carlisle United as Vale began their Johnstone’s Paint Trophy campaign for the season.
In came Remie Streete for Ryan Inniss, who was suffering from a similar illness to the one that affected Byron Moore the previous week.
Moore, still not fully recovered was also out of the mix, with Chris Birchall taking his place, and Jak McCourt came in for his debut to take over from Sam Foley, who was out with a slight hamstring problem.
Neither side bossed the opening few minutes of the game, though the visitors looked impressive, playing neat passing football – a style not usually associated with League Two.
Vale were the first to threaten an opening goal, when recent loan signing Jak McCourt hit a hard low drive after a neat move involving Louis Dodds and Carl Dickinson, but Carlisle ‘keeper Dan Hanford got down sharply to make the save.
McCourt certainly made it look like he was enjoying himself and looked like he had been part of Vale’s midfield for a while, not a player making his first appearance in a Vale shirt.
It was from a McCourt corner on the Vale left that the home side went close again, this time Duffy’s effort going just wide of Hanford’s right hand post after the visitors failed to clear the flag kick.
Vale defender Richard Duffy received a yellow car following a challenge on Angelo Balanta but the resulting free kick, from 25 yards out, took a deflection off the Vale wall for a corner kick.
The name of Remi Streete joined that of fellow central defender Duffy in tBastian Hery five minutes into the second half on the halfway line, right in front of the Vale dugout.
Vale had started the second half showing a bit more purpose to their game, yet the visitors took it all in their stride and continued to knock the ball about confidently.
Jak Alnwick proved he was on his toes when he palmed away a fierce angled effort from Steven Rigg with Carlisle showing they meant business.
It’s fair to say Vale were not hitting the heights they had in their previous home match and at times they looked like they were struggling a bit, but they managed to take the lead on the hour.
GOAL: combined to work the ball into the Carlisle box and it was the latter who put the ball past Hanford to give Vale the lead with his third goal of the season.UCHE IKPEAZULouis Dodds and
Five minutes later Vale skipper Carl Dickinson went close to doubling Vale’s lead when he got up to get the slightest of touches to McCourt’s deep free kick, and put his hands to his head when the ball nudged the roof of the net on its way out for a goal kick.
Ben Purkiss was on hand to clear off the line after Carlisle substitute Jabo Ibehre put in a fierce drive from just outside the Vale box as the visitors went flat out in search of an equaliser.
minute when Rob Page took off Enoch Andoh and sent on Colin Daniel from the bench.thVale made a substitution in the 77
With five minutes remaining Vale made another change – goal scorer Uche Ikpeazu making way for another debutant, JJ Hooper.
PORT VALE: Sam Johnson, Ryan McGivern, Ajay Leitch-Smith, Colin Daniel, JJ HooperSUBS:Jan Alnwick, Ben Purkiss, Carl Dickinson, Remi STreete, Richard Duffy, Uche Ikpeazu, Louis Dodds, Chris Birchall, Jak McCourt, Enoch Andoh, Anthony Grant.
CARLISLE UNITED: Mark Gillespie, Patrick Brough, Jabo Ibehre, Matthew Douglas, Derek AsamoahSUBS:Dan Hanford, Tom Miller, Danny Granger, Michael Raynes, Bastien Hery, Anthony Sweeney, Gary Dicker, Angelo Balanta, Steven Rigg, Joe Thompson, Alex McQueen.