Port Vale make the Boxing Day trip to Mansfield Town this afternoon where the two sides meet for the third time this season, and Askey’s men will be looking to make it two wins in a row against the Stags following Leasing.com Trophy success earlier this month. You can find all of the key information regarding the game, below.
Fixture: Mansfield Town v Port Vale
Competition: Sky Bet League Two
Date: Thursday 26th December 2019
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Venue: One Call Stadium
Referee: Martin Coy
Port Vale
Manager: John Askey
Form: WLLDD
Top Goal Scorer: Jake Taylor (5 goals)
The Valiants have travelled well throughout the last two months of the campaign, winning four of their last six away matches in all competitions, losing just one of them. Those six matches include three clean sheets, the most recent coming in a 0-0 draw against Crawley earlier this month.
Port Vale and Mansfield have met twice already this season, once in the league in September and a Leasing,com Trophy clash earlier this month, both fixtures ended 2-2 with the Valiants winning the latter 4-2 on penalties to progress through to the third round of the competition.
John Askey will still be without Adam Crookes and Emmanuel Oyeleke who remain out with long-term injures, Shaun Brisley is still doubtful to return for this afternoon. Tom Conlon will remain out through suspension.
"The place has brightened up all around, you want to come in and work hard, you want to be in that starting eleven."
David Worrall, Port Vale Midfielder
Mansfield Town
Manager: Graham Coughlan
Form: DLLDD
Top Goal Scorer: Danny Rose (7 goals)
The Stags head into the fixture without a win in League Two since late October, and currently find themselves 17th in the league table just seven points off the foot of the table.
Their last win came in the Leasing.com Trophy group stages against Burton Albion in mid-November, and with an underwhelming last few weeks, Mansfield sacked Paul Dempster and appointed Graham Coughlan as their new manager just over a week ago. The Stags already looked an improve side during their 1-1 draw with high-flying Northampton Town in his first game in charge on Saturday.
Hayden White could be in contention for this one following a return to training last week yet Kellan Gordon remains out with a back injury.
One to watch: CJ Hamilton
Hamilton spent his youth Career at Sheffield United and signed a professional contract at Bramall Lane in 2015, yet after two loan spells at Halifax Town and Gateshead United respectively, the winger joined Mansfield in June 2016.
The 24-year-old has since been an integral part in the Stags side, and his lightning pace and trickery has proved to cause problems across League Two. An impressive 2018/19 season for the winger saw him included in the EFL’s League Two Team of the Season.
However, Hamilton has only managed to record one goal so far this season which came against the Vale in the Leasing.com Trophy match earlier this month.
Talk
John Askey: "The players have got to realise that it's not the business end, but it is a really important time for everybody and they've got to do things right."
Coverage
iFollow the Vale will be providing full 90minute commentary from the match, whilst the Port Vale Twitter and Facebook feeds will be providing live updates for the entirety.
You can watch the game LIVE from your home by purchasing the iFollow video Match Pass for £10.
There will also be the build-up to the game with the official Snapchat and Instagram accounts; officialpvfc
Reaction will be available on the official website post-match as well as on YouTube, iFollow and social media.