Vale got their pre-season campaign under way on Friday night as Mick Ede took a youthful side to face Redditch United at the TRICO Stadium. Dior Angus scored for the Valiants on his return to his former club, but a late Nyeko Sinclair header salvaged a draw for the hosts.
It was the Valiants who got off to a bright start and they had the ball in the back of the net on four minutes, only for Angus’ low strike to be ruled out for offside.
More possession then opened up another opportunity on seven minutes, but Gime Toure was denied by a Louis Connor save after latching onto a pinpoint Mike Calveley pass.
Just a minute later, some neat footwork from Harry Benns created some space inside the area for Toure, but the goalkeeper was on hand once more to make a sprawling stop.
With 17 minutes played, a swift attack down the right flank allowed a trialist to send in a low cross. Angus then prodded the ball towards goal, but a deflection ensured it fell the wrong side of the post.
The chances continued to fall Vale’s way and it was Angus who went close again on 21 minutes, this time curling an effort inches wide of the far corner from 20 yards. Benns then called Connor into action two minutes later with a low drive.
Angus was then at the centre of the action once more after 28 minutes as he turned well inside the area, but he was thwarted by a superb save. Leam Howards then spurned Redditch’s first chance almost immediately afterwards, firing a wild effort over.
The hosts seemed to grow in confidence after their first sighting of goal, and Luke Keen was handed a golden opportunity to hand his side the lead on 33 minutes. The striker beat the offside trap to bear down on goal, but his effort wasn’t troubling Sam Hornby.
Against the run of play on 40 minutes, Redditch were awarded a penalty as Max Beeston brought down Yohan Rutty-Smith. Keen stepped up to take the spot kick, but he was denied by Hornby who got down well to his right to parry it away from danger.
Vale were then given a penalty of their own on the stroke of half-time as Joe Davis went down under a challenge from Keen. Angus tucked a finish into the bottom corner from 12 yards to ensue his former club went into the break trailing 1-0.
Following the restart, it was the Valiants who looked more threatening. With five minutes of the second half played, Benns shifted the ball onto his right foot before whipping an effort inches wide from range. Redditch then went close up the other end, but Hornby saved well with his feet.
The Vale goalkeeper was then alert again on 66 minutes, denying a substitute striker with a smart one-on-one save. Redditch did manage to find an equaliser with the last touch of the game, with Sinclair Nodding home at the far post after getting onto the end of an in swinging corner.