Manager praises supporters for their backing of his side on frustrating night at Vale Park.

• Darrell Clarke | “Our fans were superb, they stuck with us”
• Port Vale manager on his side’s 1-1 draw with Accrington Stanley in League One
• Clarke: “Paying punters come to watch the game; they’re slowing the game down but the referee has to control that, he has to control all aspects of the game and, for me, he lost control - it was a frustrating night.”

Port Vale manager Darrell Clarke praised the Vale’s supporters for sticking with his side on a frustrating night at Vale Park as the Vale were held to a 1-1 draw by Accrington Stanley.

Stanley controversially took the lead when Aaron Pressley scored a second half penalty before the Vale equalised through David Worrall’s first league goal of the campaign.

The game’s key moment came when the referee disallowed a Vale second through Nathan Smith, pulling the game back for a Vale penalty as Harvey Rodgers was sent off for a deliberate handball to deny Ben Garrity’s goal-bound effort.

Reflecting post-match, when asked if he was ‘fuming’, Clarke said:

“Fuming is probably a good word; I am very, very frustrated - it was one of those nights.

“I thought the fans were superb, they stuck with us, certainly after going a goal down, the character of the team was good but yes, we are frustrated, and I will have to be careful with my words.

“Paying punters come to watch the game, they’re slowing the game down but the referee has to control that, he has to control all aspects of the game and, for me, he lost control and it was a frustrating night.

“Just give the goal. The ball was in the back of the net and he blows up after the ball is in the back of the net, watching it back. We have to score the penalty but Dan Butterworth strikes it well and the goalkeeper saves it, it can happen. It was just a frustrating night; we huffed and puffed on a difficult playing surface and didn’t get the win we deserved.”

Clarke did also state that his side had to be more clinical with the chances they are creating.

“We have to be clinical,” he explained. “We had good chances in the first and second half, we have to be clinical in both boxes so it takes the game out of other people’s hands.

“We have to be better, so we are certainly not taking away our responsibility. The boys’ effort and endeavour was there to be seen but we are missing that end product.”

Winless in five games since our New Year’s Day victory at Forest Green Rovers, Clarke added that he has full faith in his side’s ability to bounce back.

“It is a bit of a sticky patch – there is no getting away from that – but I have massive belief in the group,” he continued. “We have one or two bodies coming back as well, which is good, and we’ll keep going right until the end.”