3 LEAGUE DEFEATS OUT OF 4 FOR THE VALIANTS
PORT Vale failed an early test of their promotion ambitions as they came up short at League Two leaders Cambridge United last night.
The Vale will reflect they at least fought back well in the first half after the shock of conceding to Paul Mullin’s third-minute penalty.
Theo Robinson levelled from the spot on 18 minutes as his side played some flowing football before the break.
But Vale couldn’t find an answer once Mullin added his second five minutes into the second half.
Instead, Cambridge added a third in stoppage time when Mullin was played behind the defence to complete his hat-trick.
So, the best attack in the division at kick off edged out the best defence – Vale having only conceded two league goals before this game while Cambridge had scored 15.
John Askey had made just one change to his side. Robinson was rewarded for his impressive performance as a substitute in Saturday’s 1-0 win at home to Salford
as he was called up to the starting line-up.
Devante Rodney dropped to the bench and Mark Cullen was also named as a substitute after recovering from a calf strain.
Cambridge didn’t have to wait long for their 16th goal of the season. Wes Hoolahan found space on the edge of the area to set up the attack and the ball ricocheted around before referee Trevor
Kettle spotted an offence in the area.
Scott Brown went the right way from Mullin’s spot-kick, but the shot was too well directed, and too powerful, for the keeper to deny the former Tranmere striker his eighth league goal of the season.
Vale then appealed that Robinson was fouled on the edge of the area as he chased down a long ball against the last defender.
However, the referee played on and Cambridge broke as Hoolahan got free on the left of the area, but his low cross was intercepted by Smith.
But there seemed to be no stopping former Norwich forward Hoolahan as weaved his way into the area to be one-on-one with Brown.
He fired low past the keeper from 14 yards, but the ball struck the inside of the near post and flew to safety.
Not content with that, Hoolahan played a diagonal cross to the back post where Harrison Dunk climbed above Clark but headed wide.
But Vale were given a way back into the game, on 18 minutes, when a long ball forward was flicked on to Robinson who was brought down in the area.
The striker took the penalty himself, sending it to keeper Dimi Mitov’s right and inside the post for his fourth goal of the season.
Lifted by the goal, Vale began to play the ball around confidently in the Cambridge half.
They came close after a lovely first-time pass from Robinson sent Worrall free down the right.
He cut the ball across to Danny Whitehead but Harry Darling made a sliding interception before the ball could reach the midfielder for a tap in.
But Vale started the second half as badly as they had the first. Boateng found Harrison Dunk down the left and he sprinted clear of Clark before sending over a perfect low cross for Mullin to hammer the ball past Brown from eight yards.
The Vale were almost level within a minute as a cross from the right was headed down to Robinson, but his low shot from 12 yards took a deflection and was stopped by Mitov on the line.
But Vale were exposed as Dunk found space in the area.
His shot was blocked by Legge but the ball rebounded to Mullin 10 yards out only for him to spurn the chance.
Dunk was a huge threat down the left, but Clark did well to keep pace with him and win the ball after the winger raced on to Boateng’s pass.
Vale spurned a half-chance when Fitzpatrick picked out Montano with a cross but his header lacked direction and power as it sailed over.
Slick football from Cambridge led to Kyle Knoyle crossing to Mullin at
the far post but Leon Legge did well to intercept with a header behind for a corner. That found Dunk who climbed highest at the far post but headed over.
Worrall fired well wide from
25 yards before John Askey made an 81st-minute change as Devante Rodney replaced Whitehead.
Rodney sprinted clear down the left but was hauled back by substitute Adam
May before Askey made his second change as Tom Pope replaced Montano.
So, Vale finished with Pope and Robinson through the middle, Rodney on the left and Worrall on the right.
But Cambridge added a third as Mullin was played in. He was forced wide by Brown who got a hand to the ball, but the striker recovered to score the rebound from the narrowest of angles.