PROCTOR’S STILL ON THE SIDELINES BUT CASS’ FIGHTING FIT

PORT Vale manager Darrell Clarke has warned Jamie Proctor is a major doubt for Saturday’s home game with Colchester - and potentially the following week’s trip to Crawley - because of a stomach muscle injury` that kept him out of Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at Mansfield. The manager revealed the sevengoal top scorer has suffered a muscle tear and could be out for around two weeks. Proctor’s absence was one of three changes to the starting lineup at Mansfield as Lewis Cass was also left out and James Gibbons dropped to the bench as George Lloyd, Mal Benning and Aaron Martin were recalled.

Asked about Proctor, Clarke said: “It is grade one, so is a minor one, so hopefully a couple of weeks.” Cass is fit but was just left out of the squad to give him a break in the middle of a busy schedule. Clarke said the 21-year-old, onloan Newcastle United defender will be in contention for Saturday. He said: “Cassy is a young lad, he needs a break now and again. “We have a healthy squad. The three games in a week can take its toll, certainly on younger players at times. He will be back in the frame on Saturday, that’s for sure.” Vale were on course for all three points at Mansfield when Tom Conlon bent home a free kick on 33 minutes. But Lucas Covolan saved Oli Hawkins’ 43rd -minute penalty before home pressure paid off when George Lapslie levelled on 66 minutes.

The result meant Vale dropped a place to fourth.

Clarke added: “Full credit to Mansfield, I thought they were outstanding. We were nowhere near the standards we have set for the majority of the season. “But you have nights like that where you are not quite at it and you have to make sure you get something in the bag – and we have managed to nick a point. “They have one or two back and Mansfield are in a false position for me. They have good, talented players and a good, talented manager. Their fans have got behind them.

“We were a little bit fortunate for the point but we’ll take it.”