‘IT GIVES US BREATHING SPACE BUT WE CAN’T REST ON OUR LAURELS...’
PORT Vale made it back to back wins and moved ten points clear of the relegation zone with Saturday’s 1-0 win at Colchester.
Over to our fans’ panel for their verdict...
Richard Lockett: “Excellent win, we looked the better side when we actually got the ball down and played and could have had one or two more with a bit of composure or better final pass.
“Great finish from Rodney and unlucky with the one that hit the post that would have been a brilliant goal to cap the performance. Solid defensively and Legge was excellent by and large. Their only threat came from bringing Senior on at half time but thankfully Brown saved the best chance he created.
“It gives us a bit of breathing space but we can’t rest on our laurels as we know this squad can go on poor runs too. A couple more wins should see us safe but hopefully the fruits of Clarke’s labour’s are starting to show with back to back wins. Onwards and upwards.”
Jamie Barnett: “Big upturn in results since Crosby came in, off the back of Clarke making us more solid and better organised. Looking sharper and hungrier than we have for a while. Result could and should have looked more comfortable.”
Stephen Miller:
“A very competent performance. Clarke is beginning to know what works and what doesn’t. We still need a clear
out in the summer but the turn around over the last week makes me believe in him.”
Kevin Stanyer: “The result guarantees light at the end of what has been a very dark tunnel. Devante took his goal well and was unlucky not to bag a brace. Monty and Manny back in the team have made a big difference and the defence played like their lives depended on it. The U’s huffed and puffed in the second half but their best chance found Brown in imperious form. Onward and upward Vale.”
Simon Palmer: “Massive back to back wins. And a full week to rest up before the next game. And the small matter of Sir Thomas Pope back on the pitch on Monday in a friendly v Hereford!
“Things appear to be finally getting
better. But I know that Clarke will rightly demand everything in these last games. We have clear daylight between ourselves and the bottom two but we know how things can quickly turn. I’ll be much happier with another two or three wins but credit to the lads for the last week.”
Scott Lingard: “If Tuesday was a massive win, this was astronomical in the context of the remaining games.
“We looked a much more confident unit today. Apart from a great save in the second half, Brown was rarely troubled in goal. “Rodney took his goal really well, and in his first season to bag 12 goals, what will he do if we get a decent team around him? “This gives us that breathing space, but with tough games to come, no time to rest on our laurels just yet, but with a 10 point gap to Southend and 13 points on Grimsby and with a vastly superior goal difference, I can’t see us slipping behind those two.”
Craig Royall: “Good solid performance all across the
pitch, limiting Colchester to a few half chances. We’re beginning to see some graft across the whole pitch now, something sadly lacking in recent months but now isn’t the time to dwell on what’s gone. Clarke has been honest and open to all so far and maybe, just maybe those home truths are sinking into some of the players who just haven’t been as committed as they should have been. Back to back wins are not to be sniffed at though and tonight is a good night. Well done Vale.”
Paul Dixon: “Great performance. We dominated for long spells but only had a goal to show for it , but what a goal it was. In his first full season Devante Rodney has been brilliant and deserves the praise he will get.
“It was a superb save from Brown in the second half but that was all they offered. Legge and Conlon were outstanding but man of the match was Devante. We can all breathe a little easier.”
Elliot James: “Great performance and result. The three centre halves won every ball which was crossed or lumped up field from Colchester -they didn’t look like scoring. “Monty and Worrall always looking a danger out wide and did really well playing as wing backs. Conlon was instrumental once again carrying the ball, getting us up the field. A deserved win!”
Alex Bettany: “In the first half we showed exactly how good a side we can be. Manny makes a big difference and we forgot how good
he is. If we can keep him fit (big if) then he is a real asset. Second half we tired but defended well. Overall it’s a good away performance. Glad there’s no midweek game so the players can have a good rest.”
Rob Rhead: “That was hard work. For the first half hour my ifollow feed was acting up so it was like trying to watch a game through a series of stills photographs. “What I could see was that the camera spent most of the time looking at Colchester’s defensive half, their pitch was worse than ours, most of our play came down our right-hand side through Cristian Montaño and that Bobby Madley has not improved as a referee.
“Miraculously the only time ifollow worked to any extent was on 19 minutes when Devante Rodney scored a deserved opener. The Vale should have increased their lead but couldn’t finish the U’s off and the home side were the better side after half time as the substitute Senior had an immediate effect.
“Despite being the better side, they were still pretty awful as one might expect from a side that has now only won one in twenty. The Vale were playing a dangerous game at 1-0 on a poor pitch when one misplaced pass or tackle could result in a chance for Colchester to score or for Madley to make a questionable decision.
“Vale did hit the woodwork twice in the second half and were just about worthy of a second win in five days to put a little daylight between us and the bottom two.”