ANOTHER 3 POINTS FOR VALE

Saturday 5th January 2013
Port Vale v Plymouth Argyle
League Two
At Vale Park
Attendance: 5,168 including 334 visiting supporters

PORT VALE: Chris Neal, Adam Yates, Joe Davis, Liam Chilvers, Rob Taylor, Jennison Myrie-Williams, Doug Loft, Chris Shuker, Ashley Vincent, Ben Williamson, Tom Pope. SUBS: Louis Dodds, Calvin Andrew, Clayton McDonald, Ryan Lloyd, Ryan Burge, Richard Duffy, Chris Birchall

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE: Rene Gilmartin, Durrell Berry, Robbie Williams, Maxime Blanchard, Conor Hourihane, Paris Cowan-Hall, Luke Young, Nick Chadwixk, Onismor Bhasera, Paul Wotton, Curtis Nelson. SUBS: Jake Cole, Rhys Griffiths, Warren Feeney, Jamie Lowry, Matt Lecointe, Jamie Richards, Andres Gurrieri

Micky Adams made wholesale changes for the visit of managerless Plymouth Argyle. John McCombe and Sam Morsy were both out injures, but the manager decided to leave out Louis Dodds, Calvin Andrew, Ryan Burge and Richard Duffy. In came Rob Taylor, Doug Loft, Ashley Vincent, Chris Shuker, Joe Davis and Ben Williamson.

Vale were slow out of the blocks against a lively-looking Plymouth side who were more than willing to take Vale on and attack in numbers.

Vale almost capitalised on a mix up in the Plymouth defence, with both Tom Pope and Ben Williamson getting a touch to the ball inside the box, but in the end ‘keeper Rene Gilmartin got hols of a defensive header to calm things down.

Luke Young looked to be a little fortunate to receive only a yellow card following what appeared to be an elbow on Vale skipper Doug Loft in the centre circle.

Vale had a good opportunity to get their noses in front midway through the first half when Chris Shuker slotted the ball through for Jennison Myrie-Williams to latch on to down the right flank.

The winger raced forward before cutting inside to have a crack at goal, but his effort failed to hit the target when perhaps he ought to have tested the ‘keeper.

minute.^thWhile Vale were not exactly looking flat, there was definitely some sparkle missing from their game and that was highlighted in the 28

Myrie-Williams again ran at the Pilgrims’ defence, cutting inside again to tee up the ball from Tom Pope. It wasn’t the easiest ball to control, but when he did he shot well wide of the target.

GOAL: cut inside from the right once again, this time electing to drill a low shot into the bottom left hand corner, giving Gilmartin no chance.JENNISON MYRIE-WILLIAMS minute when ^stVale took the lead in the 31

, which left Ashley Vincent lying on the floor. Chadwick was given a straight red card for his troubles.NICK CHADWICKThe visitors were reduced to ten men just moments later following an incident involving

The visitors had an chance to level as the game entered first half stoppage time when Young left two players for dead and squared for Paris Cowan-Hall, who squandered the opportunity, firing wide of the target.

GOAL: goal of the season.^th who nodded home his 24TOM POPETen minutes into the second half Vale doubled their lead when a long cross from the left by Rob Taylor was met with a powerful header from

Vale were by now looking more like themselves and were moving the ball around with confidence and almost added a third goal.

Chris Shuker threaded a lovely weighted pass through to Vincent down the left, he pulled the ball back to Williamson but his first time shot struck the foot of the diving Gilmartin.

Doug Loft then hit a twenty yard shot which the Plymouth ‘keeper did well to get the slightest of touches to, ensuring the ball went over the crossbar.

Vale were now more or less camped deep inside the Plymouth half and it looked only a matter of time before a third home goal would come along.

Indeed, it took a terrific one-handed save to keep out a close range header from Tom Pope after Adam Yates had chipped the ball in towards the far post from the right.

GOAL: and the striker did the rest.BEN WILLIAMSON minute. Pope slipped the ball in for ^thIt wasn’t too much of a surprise when Vale finally did extend their lead in the 77

Two minutes later came the introduction of Chris Birchall who came on to replace Jennison Myrie-Williams for his second Port Vale debut.

Three minutes on and Vale made their second substitution change with young Vale winger coming on for Ashley Vincent.

GOAL: of the season from close range.^th on the mark again, firing home his 25TOM POPE minute with that man ^rdVale added a fourth goal in the 83

minute of the game.^thVale then made their third change when Calvin Andrew came on for Ben Williamson in the 84