Port Vale defender Leon Legge thanked the Vale Park “atmosphere” and the teams drive to bounce back from the Salford City draw in helping the Valiants gain their first win of 2019/20 campaign.

Along with the impressive form of the squad throughout the start to the season, a pleased Leon Legge highlighted the impact of the crowd in turning Vale Park into a place that teams fear playing at in helping to achieve a win that the whole squad deserved.

The impressed defender spoke about how the backing of the vibrant crowds, 1,400 against Salford City and over 4,000 against Forest Green, had lifted the players and helped them to keep working hard for the full 90 minutes.

A confident Legge added that if the fans keep supporting the team how they have been and the players carry that drive to win from the Salford game forwards with them, then there is no reason they should slow down anytime soon.

He said: “It’s been a positive start, a little bit unlucky last couple of league games but we stayed switched on and made sure today was the day that we were going to get that first win.

“The fans were great today, so positive compared to last season where there were a few moans and groans, but this year [it’s] a completely different atmosphere and I’ve got to give a shout out to them because they were great.

“It’s so good to play in an atmosphere like that, that’s why you play football, you want to play in front of an  atmosphere like that week in week out.”

Legge, who captained the side for the game, said the support and performances so far have given the players a lot of confidence going forward as they head towards Saturday’s trip to Grimsby where they search for their first away win and first clean sheet of the season.

The backing of the manager John Askey has also helped in building the teams confidence according to Legge, as he has shown faith in his players to keep performing well and last night they were able to show him he was right to do so.  

Using the combination of all those positive factors around the club, the aim of the team is now to just keep working hard and maintain what they have been doing to sustain results says Legge, starting with a difficult game against Grimsby Town.  

He said: “It’s [team selection] a hard decision because he [Askey] could have easily chopped and changed a couple really, but he’s put faith in the lads and it’s paid off really, we got the win and we just go again Saturday.

“It’s [Grimsby] not an easy place to go to, but we’ll just keep doing what we’re doing, we’re starting well, we’re making it hard for teams whether it’s at home or away.

“There’s no let-up really, the team talk is basically just keep doing what you’re doing, don’t get complacent and just keep doing what you’re doing.”