REPORT from Roots Hall
Southend United v Port Vale
March 2017thSaturday 4
At Roots Hall
League One
Attendance 7,543 including 190 visiting supporters
Vale took an unexpected point away to promotion chasing Southend with a superb performance, and it could be argued they deserved more from a game in which they impressed with a great team performance.
the back of the net. They pretty much controlled the first half and then took the lead with twelve minutes to go, when Chris Eagles got up well to meet a free kick taken by Sam Foley, planting a firm header into
Unfortunately they couldn’t hold on to their lead, conceding just five minutes later when Anthony Worthington forced the ball home from close range.
Caretaker Manager was confined to the team coach ahead of the game, suffering from sickness, so Ned Kelly and Chris Morgan took over team duties up to kick off, when he was back in the thick of things.
Vale made one change to the starting eleven, with Scott Tanser coming in for the injured Kiko, who was suffering from a slight hamstring tweak which could keep him out for two weeks.
Vale injury situation doesn’t seem to improve at all. Sebastien AMoros was another player ruled out after picking up a foot injury in training.
Vale started brightly, having the better of the early exchanges, without seriously troubling home ‘keeper Ted Smith, who was more or less a spectator.
JJ Hooper did manage to get in a shot, but he hit it rather tamely and wide of the target. Despite that, there was plenty to be optimistic about from a Vale point of view.
Vale had a let off on 13 minutes when Simon Cox got in behind the Vale defence, latching on to a through ball from Jason Demetriou with Vale appealing for offside, but thankfully Cox put his shot wide.
Despite the difference between the two teams in terms of league positions, Vale were not at any time second best, more than matching their hosts and for much of the time looking the better of the two.
minute when Hooper did well to hold the ball up in the corner before laying it into the path of Sam Foley.thVale went close to taking the lead in the 28
The midfielder ran straight at goal before slipping the ball into the path of Nathan Smith, whose shot was deflected for a corner.
From the flag kick, Foley beat Southend ‘keeper Smith with a header, only for Demetriou to clear off the line when it looked all the way a goal.
<Moments later Jerome Thomas forced Smith into a save, the ‘keeper dropping to his left, with Vale showing real purpose about their play.
minute Vale were dealt a vlow when Thomas went down with what appeared to be a groin strain and he was forced to leave the field of play and he was replaced by Sam Kelly.stIn the 41
Vale were dealt a further injury blow early in the second half when Danny Pugh pulled up and was forced off. Vale sent on Billy Reeves for his first team debut as a replacement.
Moments later Chris Eagles tested smith, who could only parry his shot, but the midfielder was unable to get on the end of the loose ball and the home side were able to clear.
The indications were that Vale were again going to have the better of things, just as they had in the opening forty five minutes, but they needed a goal from somewhere.
minute when he got on the end of a low cross from the left by Coker, but again he failed to hit the target.thCox missed a glorious chance to put the home side ahead in the 56
Then moments later substitute Jermaine McGlashan missed the target from an angle when perhaps he ought to have done better.
There were by now signs that the home side fancied their chances a little, but Reeves almost silenced the home side with a 30 yard effort that dropped just over the Southend crossbar.
minute they were presented with an opportunity to get the ball into the Southend box when Sam Kelly was upended 35 yards out.thVale kept plugging away and in the 78
GOAL: got above everyone to plant a firm header into the back of the net.CHRIS EAGLESSam Foley lined it up and sent a perfectly flighted ball in front of the Southend ‘keeper and
GOAL: was on hand to turn the ball past Fasan from close range.Anthony WordsworthFive minutes later the home side were on level terms when Coker hit the ball low into the box and
Vale immediately made a change, with Dan Turner coming off the bench to replace goal scorer Chris Eagles with approximately six minutes plus stoppage time remaining.
SOUTHEND UNITED: John White, Luke O’Neill, Luke Amos, Jermaine McGlashan, Frank Nouble, Theo Robinson, Josh BexonSUBS:Ted Smith, Ben Coker, Anthony Wordworth, Adam Thompson, Michael Timlin, Simon Cox, Will Atkinson, Marc-Antoine Fortune, Ryan Leonard, Jason Demetriou, Anton Ferdinand.
PORT VALE: Deniz Mehmet, Sam Kelly, Dan Turner, Gezim Shalaj, Olamide Shodipo, Billy Reeves, James Gibbons.SUBS:Leo Fasan, Ben Purkiss, JJ Hooper, Sam Foley, Danny Pugh, Jerome Thomas, Anton Forreseter, Scott Tanser, Nathan Smith, Callum Guy, Chris Eagles.