‘IT WAS MEDIOCRE - WE HAVE GOT TO BE MORE CREATIVE’

JOHN Askey says his team has to be much better in the final third after Morecambe condemned them to their first league defeat of the season.

Adam Phillips’ 76th-minute penalty was the difference in a game of few chances as Vale were beaten in the league for the first time in 12 games, a run that stretched back to January. Askey says they need to be more creative having also been frustrated in the goalless draw at home to Harrogate in the previous game.

He said: “Frustrating sums it up. We had a lot of the ball but only really created a couple of chances. You could say the same for them. But we have to be better. We are not creating enough chances.” Vale dominated possession but only had first-half chances for Leon Legge and Devante Rodney to show for it.

Askey added: “They sat off us, it was like attack v defence for most of the game but it has worked for them. We have to be a bit more creative, we have to work harder with the runs. And just simple decision making was poor. Even at the end, where we could put crosses into the box and had sent Leon Legge up, people were playing short passes. It just beggars belief sometimes. “They have to get back to what they have done previously, it is as simple as that. They have to re-find that form where they pass the ball quickly, the movement has to be better. There was only really Devante (Rodney) who went past anybody and he only did that two or three times. It was mediocre.” As for the penalty itself, he said: “I’ve not seen it but it shouldn’t have happened anyway. Leon Legge should have been in front and Shaun (Brisley) should have been behind the man. So I am disappointed they had a chance to even have a penalty.”

Manny Oyeleke and Harry Mckirdy missed the game because of muscle strains. And Nathan Smith is isolating after a family member tested positive for Covid-19. So, he will also miss tomorrow’s game at Wigan and Saturday’s league game at home to Carlisle.