Michael Brown’s Port Vale fell to a 2-0 away defeat at the hands of Chesterfield last weekend, but he insists that there are positives to take from the game.

Brown spoke exclusively to the club’s website after the game about the result: “I thought that we were excellent for half an hour but you have got to score a goal. I thought the boys moved it round very well, and we had a couple of chances from sustained pressure.

“Then they had a couple of minutes of possession, they put us on the back foot and scored a goal followed by a quick one straight after. Ultimately, that changes games, if you don’t keep it out of your net or score. That’s the difference at the moment.”

However, the 40-year old was pleased with what he saw from his team in spells throughout the game: “The positives were the way that we played in the first 30 minutes away from home. We are still a new side which you can still see, but to play the way we did against a team like Chesterfield was good to see.”

“In the first half you’re dominating possession against a team that you would say would dominate possession themselves, it was pleasing to the eye. And that is what we will take away from the game.”

Yet, as the close of the transfer window nears, Brown is still looking to add to the quality that he has already brought in this summer: “Obviously it is still the transfer window, we will be looking to improve and to get a couple back fit this week, and hopefully a couple of signings.

“That will put us in a better position than what we are and then we can work on having a settled team.”

Vale will now head into the new week with their focus on the game at home to Crewe on Saturday: “We’ll be training and planning as usual. It is a fantastic occasion for us; I have just told the boys that. A derby game at home and we are looking forward to it, and hopefully we can put a good performance on.”