Port Vale will host Colin Calderwood’s Cambridge United, at Vale Park this afternoon, in their third home game of the season. After picking up six points from their opening five games, the Valiants will be hoping for their second win of the Campaign. You can find all of the key information regarding the game, below.
Fixture: Port Vale vs Cambridge United
Competition: Sky Bet League Two
Date: Saturday 31st August 2019
Kick-Off: 3:00 pm
Venue: Vale Park
Referee: James Oldham
Port Vale
Manager: John Askey
Form: DDDWL
Top Goal Scorer(s): David Amoo and Richie Bennett (2 goals)
The Valiants will be looking to keep their unbeaten home league run going today, as they try and bounce back from their first defeat of the season away at Grimsby Town last Saturday.
After that disappointing result, the Vale look to regain the form of their last home match, where they beat Forest Green Rovers 2-1. A scorer from that game, David Amoo faces his former club today and will try to mark the occasion by becoming the first player to score in each of their first three league games at Vale Park since Bert Llewellyn in 1960.
John Askey is still without new midfield signing Rhys Browne, as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. Manny Oyeleke has returned to training but remains a doubt, whilst Cristian Montano is expected to be available despite missing the last game via concussion. That aside, Askey has a fully fit squad to choose from, including Vale’s new number 16 Jake Taylor and number 28 Shaun Brisley.
“We know if we get a result on Saturday we’re back with the front-runners, and that’s where we want to be.”
John Askey, Port Vale Manager
Cambridge United
Manager: Colin Calderwood
Form: DDWWL
Top Goal Scorer(s): Marc Richards and Paul Lewis (2 goals)
Colin Calderwood’s side will also be hoping to get their season back on track, after suffering two successive defeats, first at home to Oldham last week and then away at Swansea on Wednesday night in the Carabao Cup.
Cambridge, like Vale, are wishing to have a more successful season than last year where they only survived relegation by six points, and have started that off well, having won three successive games, including a Carabao Cup victory over Championship Brentford, at the start of the season.
Colin Calderwood’s team are still without full-back Kyle Knoyle after he suffered a shoulder injury against Newport County. Forward Jabo Ibehre and defender Daniel Jones missed United’s game against Oldham Athletic, and were rested against Swansea, but shoukd be available today.
One to watch: Marc Richards
Experienced striker Marc Richards, joined Cambridge United in August, adding depth to their front line that already contains Jabo Ibehre, and he has already started his United career well, scoring in each of his three starts for the club.
The 37-year old striker is on the verge of his 600th English Football League appearance, in which time has scored 187 goals.
Richards’ name may be remembered well at Vale Park as that is where he spent the longest and most prolific part of his career, playing 181 times from 2007 to 2012, and scoring 67 goals for the Valiants.
He has a history of playing for promotion winning sides, having been involved in successful league campaigns at three different clubs, winning the League One play-offs with Barnsley in 2006, and also getting promoted from League Two with Chesterfield in 2014 and Northampton Town in 2016.
Talk:
John Askey: “When I first came in, I don’t think it [Vale Park] was a place that our players relished playing, I think that has changed, everybody’s looking forward to playing on Saturday.”
Colin Calderwood: “We have to rebound from a home defeat and an away mauling to come back and show everyone it hasn’t really touched us.”
Coverage:
iFollow The Vale will be providing full 90-minute commentary from the match, whilst the Port Vale Twitter and Facebook feeds will be providing live updates for the entirety.
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.