Forrester makes come back as Vale youngsters earn a deserved draw
Wrexham 2 (1) v Port Vale 2 (1)
Tuesday 08 November 2016
forrester makes come back as Vale YOUNGSTERS Earn Deserved DRAW
WREXHAM:Dane Rigby, Ben Burrows, Olly Marx, Martin Riley, Doug Tharme, Anthony Barry, Rob Evans (Niall Freeman 61), Nortie Nortey, Tyler Harvey, Khaellem Baily-Nicholls, Jordan White (Michael Bakare 29).
SUB NOT USED: Owen Kirkham, George Harry, Ryan Williams.
Port Vale: Joe Slinn, James Gibbons, Charlie Walford, Mike Calverley, Ben Fraser, Luke Dennis, Mike Conlon, Mathew Ward, Anthony Forrester (Jake Thomas 46), Liam Mottram, Harry Benns.
Subs not used:Zac Hill, Mick Ede.
A young Vale XI that contained only 2 pros, and both of those, Anthony Forrester and James Gibbons, were coming back from long injury lay-offs, faced a fully professional line-up at Colliers Park and got off to a promising start. Vale nearly took the lead after 3 minutes as a Luke Dennis header was cleared off the line by the defender on the post.
minute.thHowever this was a rare attack as Wrexham soon dominated the game for the next 25 minutes with Baily-Nicholls causing the Vale defence all sorts of problems; first seeing a Slinn get down low to make a good save and then firing just over the bar. The relentless pressure eventually told as Baily-Nicholls again beat his defender to wriggle along the goal-line before driving the ball low to the near post where White flicked it high into the net in the 24
Wrexham probably felt it was going to be their day and Gibbons was called on to block a goal-bound effort as Vale came under pressure again. Vale did respond for a spell with Forrester being prominent as he firstly dragged a shot wide from 15 yards before seeing Rigby save a much better effort. Vale should have equalised on the half-hour mark as a ball forward by Walford was missed by a defender allowing Forrester a run at goal but he couldn’t get the ball out from under his feet to shoot before Riley arrived to challenge and Forrester tripped over the ball and knocked it out for a goal kick.
coolly slipped the ball into the corner of the net to level the scores. There was a moment of concern went the aptly named Nortei Nortey, yes really, fouled Forrester who stayed down and needed treatment before being able to carry on.ForresterWith 9 minutes of the half left Vale did equalise, somewhat against the run of play as an attack saw Forrester feed Conlon who held off his defender, before rounding the ‘keeper but Rigby had clipped Conlon as he went past and although he tried to score as he went down the ball went just wide but the referee was already pointing to the spot.
Forrester was replaced for the second half, as always planned, but Wrexham continued to dominate the early exchanges with 2 headers that saw Slinn in action to keep Vale level as well as a good clearing header from Fraser. Slinn was then relieved to see a Baily-Nicholls shot from the right hand side of the penalty area rattle the bar on its way out of play. With 58 minutes gone Wrexham retook the lead when there looked little danger as the ball reached Harvey on the edge of the penalty area with his back to goal. He hooked the ball over his head in one motion and it slowly bounced into the far corner of the net with Slinn stranded.
was on hand to nod it past the static ‘keeper from a yard out.DennisThis seemed to revitalise Vale as they became much more cohesive and started to knock the ball about and make inroads into the Wrexham defence, but as it was basically the U18 team who play together every week it should not be too surprising. Walford shot over from distance as he cut in from the left and with 68 minutes gone they drew level again as Walford drove a free-kick into the 6 yard box from out wide and
Walford was soon in action at the far end as he headed clear at the expense of a corner, but Vale were soon up the other end with a move started by Mottram that eventually allowed Conlon to shoot, bringing a good save from Rigby as he pushed it over the bar to safety. Benns was next to threaten the goal as his curled shot to the far side of the goal bounced off the top of the bar to safety. Walford then shot over the bar but the game finished with Slinn making a save from Baily-Nicholls to leave the resulting draw as a fair result with both teams having had spells of dominance.
Lindon Roberts – Port Vale Volunteers Group