Hat-trick hero James Wilson stars in a humongous win over League One opposition which puts us in the hat for the 2nd round of the Emirates FA Cup.
A break from the league campaign as we hosted the first round of the Emirates FA Cup against League One Accrignton Stanley. The visitors started the better having the majoirty of possesion and ten minutes in they had the first chance of the match. Lucas Covolan parried away a low cross which fell to Ethan Hamilton but his effort inside the area went high and wide.
Stanley are unbeaten in three sitting 12th in Sky Bet League One. Harry Pell had on opportunity on 14 minutes, he ran in from the right and struck a shot, inside the 18-yard box, across goal which went wide.
The Valiants were growing into the game and after withstanding pressure from the visitors we took the lead on the half-hour mark. Wilson knocked the ball past the defender with ease and went one-on-one with Toby Savin in the area but he was not saving that one as he curled it past him to the far corner of the net.
After the goal we were much the better side and on the hunt for a second. David Amoo cut inside from the right and took on a left-footed shot from 20-yards but Savin was well behind the shot after 43 minutes. At the end of regulation time Stanley had their first chance since going behind, Pell reached a cross into the box with a diving header which went wide of Covolan's goal.
The last chance of the half came in added time. The visitors took a quick free-kick wide and sqaured it to Hamilton on the penalty spot but his effort could not have been simpler for Covolan to catch in goal.
The Valiants had the first chance of the second half with Wilson on 50 minutes. Ben Garrity played him in on goal, but was forced wide in the area by the defender and Wilson's shot went wide of the goal. Ten minutes later, a Dan Jones long throw found James Gibbons in the area who turned and shot but Savin did well to keep it out.
Another off the ball incident on Nathan Smith in back-back games resulted in another red card with Coby Bishop kicking out at Smith and that resulted in him recieving his marching orders on 72 minutes.
A minute later the Valiants had a corner which was floated towards the penalty spot as it bobbled around before falling loose to Wilson who beat his man and fired the ball past Savin for 2-0. On 79 minutes we had three as Tom Conlon's cross was met by Wilson who completed his hat-trick.
Stanley got a goal back on 84 minutes, a free-kick from 20-yards was put away by Hamilton into the bottom corner. But the Valiants were not finished at the other end.
A minute later Lewis Cass scored his first goal for the club after receiving the ball from Gibbons who did all the hard work drilling a low cross to the unmarked Cass who blasted a shot against the underside of the crossbar and into the net.
We made it five in stoppage time, George Lloyd's initial shot was saved but rolled straight back to the Cheltenham loanee who netted his first Vale goal also.
Port Vale | Covolan, Gibbons, Jones, Smith, Worrall (76' Martin), Wilson (81' Lloyd), Conlon (81' Taylor), Amoo, Politic (46' Garrity), Pett (84' Walker), Cass
Subs not used | Stone, Legge, Benning, Amos
Accrington Stanley | Savin, Hamilton, Sykes, O'Sullivan, Pell (78' Mumbongo), Bishop, Nottingham, Conneely, Nolan, Morgan (54' Mansell), Amankwah (78' Malcolm)
Subs not used | Trafford, Rodgers, Sherring, Clark, Leigh, Scully