The Valiants welcome Cheltenham Town to Vale Park tomorrow where John Askey's side will be looking to return to winning ways in the league. Ahead of the fixture, we've taken a look at some classic matches against the Robins.
League One, Vale Park, Tuesday 2nd October 2007: Port Vale 3-0 Cheltenham
Vale went into the game next to the bottom and still without a home win all season. That night though things fell into place. David McGoldrick, the current Sheffield United striker, opened his account for the Vale whilst on loan from Southampton in the 21st minute. The ball came in from the right and after a suspicion of hand ball McGoldrick steered it past Shane Higgs.
Two minutes later Cheltenham’s Andy Lindegaard and Vale’s Jason Talbot were both sent off after an altercation. Vale still held the balance of power and they increased their lead in the 73rd minute when Paul Edwards also scored his first goal for the Vale.
Two minutes from time it became a hat trick of first time scorers when Craig Rocastle netted what proved to be his only goal for the Vale.
The Cheltenham team contained future Vale promotion winning wingers Jennison Myrie-Williams and Ashley Vincent whilst our current ‘keeper Scott Brown was on the bench.
Port Vale – Anyon, Miller, McGregor, Pilkington, Talbot, Harsley, Whitaker (Hulbert 81), Rocastle, Edwards, McGoldrick (Richards 67), Rodgers (Tudor 85)
Subs not used – Willock, Lowe
Cheltenham Town – Higgs, Townsend, Gill, Duff, Gallinagh (Yao 78), Connolly, Bird, Lindegaard, Myrie-Williams (Caines 67), Connor (Vincent 74), Spencer
Subs not used – Brown, Wilde
League Two, Vale Park, Friday 29th March 2013: Port Vale 3-2 Cheltenham Town
Vale were in second place going into Vale’s first Good Friday home game for 50 years whilst Cheltenham were fifth. Lee Hughes had a goal disallowed but then limped off with a hamstring injury in the 12th minute. Tom Pope gave Vale the lead in the 19th minute with a trademark header to end an 11 game drought. A short corner from Jennison Myrie-Williams saw Dan Jones whip over a cross and the newly voted League Two player of the year headed home. Myrie-Williams and Rob Taylor came close to adding to Vale’s lead but were denied by an inspired performance by Cheltenham ‘keeper Scott Brown, who these days is performing similar heroics in the Vale goal.
Cheltenham levelled two minutes into the second half when Chris Neal parried a shot from substitute Byron Harrison only for Kaid Mohamed to drive the rebound home. Cheltenham went in front in the 54th minute when a corner from Mohamed was headed goalwards by Michael Hector which Neal parried, but the loose ball was prodded into the net by Paul Benson. Four minutes later Vale restored parity when a Myrie-Williams corner was rammed home by Pope.
Vale won it in the 74th minute. Louis Dodds sent Pope clear of the offside trap and he gleefully fired the ball past Brown to complete his third hat trick of the season with what was also his 30th goal of the campaign.
Port Vale – Neal, Yates, McCombe, Chilvers, D.Jones, Myrie-Williams, Dodds, Griffith, R.Taylor (Andrew 81), Pope, Hughes (Williamson 12)
Subs not used – Johnson, Purse, R.Duffy, Shuker, LloydCheltenham T – Brown, B. Jones (Lowe 46), Elliott, Jombati, Hector, Pack, McGlashan, Penn, J.Taylor (Harrison 46), Benson, Mohamed (Deering 83)
Subs not used – Roberts, Carter, D.Duffy, Harrad
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