VALIANTS GUNNING FOR GLORY
NEIL Aspin paid testament to the best performance he has seen since becoming Port Vale manager after upsetting the odds to knock League One Oxford out of the FA Cup.
Gavin Gunning’s early header got the Valiants underway to make a mockery of their lowly position in League Two with just 16 minutes on the clock.
Tom Pope doubled the lead after the break for a side with three wins in their last four league outings, leaving Aspin an understandably delighted man as he ended his first month in charge in fine style.
“I am exceptionally pleased with all of the players. They did everything that we asked of them,” said the Vale chief.
“They worked exceptionally hard, kept their shape well, and took on board what we said to them this week.
“I thought it was the best performance since I have been manager. I couldn’t fault any of the players. I thought they were excellent.
“They thoroughly deserved to win and could possibly have scored more goals but in terms of an allround performance, I thought the players were excellent.
“They have had a lot of stick this season, so let’s give them some praise. I said to the players at half time: ‘you have been excellent for 45 minutes. You have deserved to be in front. You have dominated the game.’”
Only a smart Ryan Boot save kept Vale ahead early on, the home goalkeeper smartly blocking from James Henry after a ball over the top.
But the dominant home side took the lead as James Gibbons’ cross found the head of Gunning at the near post, the full-back steering his side into an early advantage, from which they grew in confidence.
Mike Williamson almost had a tap-in for Oxford when Boot spilled a corner but that was as close as United came until Pope doubled the Vale lead with a bullet header from Danny Pugh’s lofted cross.
Ryan Ledson went on a mazy run to try and ignite the U’s but Pep Clotet’s side were left with an early exit from the Cup.
“Port Vale were 100 per cent up for the game. Their physicality was a problem for us and we could not cope with it,” said the United boss. “I think it would be maybe better as a 1-0 but I think massive credit goes to Port Vale because they matched our play as much as they could and Pope was superb for them. “It’s disappointing. The FA Cup is a great competition and the last two games, we know we haven’t been good enough. “We’ve come up against teams who have been happy to sit in and we haven’t found the answers to break them down.”