Vale youngsters crash out in extra time
Leek Town:Chris Martin, Niall Green, Ashley Jackson, James Curley, Darren Chadwick, Kyle Diskin (Jon Beaumont 60), Anthony Danylyk, Chris Baker, Tim Grice (Lee Cropper 49), Dan Shelley (Ryan Grocott 83), Niall Maguire.
Subs not used:Warren Holmes, Sam Bradbury.
Port ValeTaylor Attrell (Luke Dennis 104), Tom Ashton (Charlie Walford 57), Chekaine Steele, Jonny Kapend, Dan Turner, Omar Haughton. Ryan Boot, James Gibbons, Alex Morris, Brad Ede, MacKenzie Faulkner, Reserves:
Subs not used: Harry Pickering, Ben Fraser, Mike Calveley.
minute as Jackson delivered a cross to the edge of the 6 yard box where Grice flicked the ball across goal to curl away from Boot and into the far corner of the net. From the restart Grice again threatened and was brought down on the edge of the area but Diskin’s free-kick thumped into a Vale defender and the follow-up attempt was easy taken by Boot.thIf this game had been last season it would not have gone ahead with all the recent rain we have had, but the £100k spent on the pitch last season has paid major dividends as the pitch looked in excellent condition enabling the tie to go ahead. It was a very open start but Leek took the lead in the 6
Leek continued to pressurize Vale’s defence with Curley powering a header just the wrong side of a post from a corner and Boot making 2 saves from Grice in quick succession. Another free-kick saw Maguire deflect the ball just past the far post with Boot stranded on his line. It was 17 minutes before Vale had a promising move when Haughton beat 2 men and advanced on goal only to try to take too many on and loose the ball on the edge of the box. The game became more even and it Haughton again who set up Vale’s first shot just before the half hour mark as he beat his man and played in Turner wide on the left whose shot was comfortably collected by ex-Vale ‘Keeper Chris Martin.
minute but Morris had already been flagged offside before pulling it back for Kapend to tap in. Steele went into the book two minutes later after colliding with Shelley near the halfway line. A long ball over the top saw Grice hold off the Vale defenders before getting off a shot that was deflected for a corner was the last action of note of the first half with Leek holding a deserved lead.thShelley then hit a 35 yard drive that Boot was forced to push away for a corner. Vale did have the ball in the net in the 35
The early stages of the second period were played in midfield with few chances being created. Morris fired a low cross into the box that was cut out before reaching Haughton but Leek responded going close with a cross that squirted past the far post and Maguire seeing a header from a corner tipped over by Boot, who was the busier of the two ‘keepers. Steele did well to wriggle past his opponent before being tripped by the next defender but nothing came of the resulting free-kick.
With 15 minutes remaining a concerted Vale attack saw a Kapend shot charged down and Haughton’s follow-up deflected for a corner. Vale had their clearest chance so far after 67 minutes as a ball over the top saw Steele beat the offside trap. He advanced on Martin’s goal but was unable to get it past him with his first shot and was closed down before being able to shoot again with the ball eventually deflecting away to the edge of the area behind the other Vale attackers.
got past two defenders and placed the ball into the far corner of the net to bring the scores level and take the game into extra time.Dan TurnerBoot was out quickly to collect a low cross that had been fired across the box and then saved well from Jackson from a driven shot towards the near post. As a Vale attack broke down Leek counter attacked quickly and Shelley tried to put it over Boot’s head from 40 yards but it drifted wide and he was then substituted. With the game entering added on time
minute Cropper advanced up the wing and crossed for Beaumont to place home past Boot for 4-1 as it began to turn into a rout. With 4 minutes to go of the second period of extra-time Haughton got through on goal and saw Martin save his effort with his feet. The result was correct but a little harsh on a young Vale team who battled well in front of 173 fans.rd minute Leek retook the lead as Curley climbed highest from a corner to head home although it appeared to have been cleared off the line, but the assistant referee flagged that it had gone over the line. With 6 minutes gone it was 3-1 as Gibbons fouled Cropper in the box and he got up to place the spot-kick home. In the 103rdIn the 93
LINDON ROBERTS – Port Vale Volunteers Group