Ashton: Striker Fletcher should have walked for his first-half foul
CHAMPIONSHIP pundit Dean Ashton believes Steven Fletcher should have been sent off before he scored the winner for Stoke City at Blackpool.
Fletcher grabbed his third goal in two games to claim three points when he chested the ball in on the line when Harry Souttar had hit the post with a header.
But the 34-year-old striker had previously been booked for a kick out on Jordan Gabriel that
Ashton, watching for EFL on Quest, says should have been the end of his night.
Ashton said: “Should he still have been on the pitch? I’m sure that’s the question Blackpool fans and Neil Critchley will be asking.
“It’s a kick out at Jordan Gabriel and I don’t know why he’s doing it, but it doesn’t matter about the ferociousness of the kick, that’s a red card. He shouldn’t be on the pitch.
“But while he’s still on the pitch, he’s still a danger and he was there to poach (the winner) at the back post.”
Stoke manager Michael O’neill did not think it was worthy of a red card.
He said: “I didn’t think it was a red card, there was very little in it.
“Basically, the exact same foul was committed on him towards the end of the game and that wasn’t even a yellow card.”
Blackpool boss Neil Critchley took the opposite view.
He said: “I don’t like shouting too much when it’s on the far side because it was the opposite side of the pitch to where I am, because you’re never certain.
“But it looks like he’s running towards the touchline and he blatantly kicks out at Jordan Gabriel. If you kick out at an opponent when the ball’s not near in play, then that’s a red card.
“I didn’t want to make a big thing about it on the touchline because you’re never certain, but he’s kicked him and you can’t kick someone like that.
“They had five bookings in the first-half and that was testament to the way we were playing that they had to drag a few of us down in counter-attacking situations.
“You could call it game management, but I call it blatant fouls and they were rightly booked.”
PORT Vale captain Tom Conlon says a change of style has helped his own game as he looks forward to this afternoon’s FA Cup first-round tie at home to Accrington Stanley.
The midfielder has been nominated for the PFA fans’ player of the month award for League Two, recognition of his influence in a side that has climbed to second in the table under Darrell Clarke.
Conlon has generally been given freedom to get forward under Clarke, either in a central midfield two or a three, and is enjoying his football.
Asked about his own form, the 25-year-old, from Porthill, said: “I think our style of play has changed a lot, especially under the new manager.
“I know he has been here a while now but our game plan…..we don’t cross it as much anymore, it is more cut backs.
“We play a lot more football and I think that definitely has something to do with it.”
Conlon has most often been used in a central midfield three.
That’s involved summer signing Tom Pett in the holding role and Conlon given freedom to get forward with another central midfielder such as Ben Garrity or Jake Taylor.
Conlon added: “I have Tom Pett behind me at the moment who is solid. He is going to find me when he can and he is also so good at reading the game.
“So, I can push on at times and, if we do play three in the middle, the other one will come around and vice versa.
“If the other attacking midfielder pushes into the box then I have to come around.
“It works well. It is all about getting the balance and I do think we are doing that well at the moment.”
Vale face a tricky tie against an Accrington Stanley side who are 12th in League One but at least Clarke’s side have home advantage.
Conlon added: “The louder they are, the better. They have been brilliant of late.
“When we nicked it in the last minute against Orient, that was probably the best I have seen the fans at home. So, if they can keep that up it would be really appreciated.”
Meanwhile, Vale will have to win on the road again if they are to make the third round of the FA Youth Cup, having been drawn away to Salford City in the second round.
Billy Paynter’s under-18s got through a dramatic first-round tie on Monday when they won at Walsall in a penalty shoot-out.
Now their reward is an away tie to Salford in a game that has to be played before November 20.
If the scores are level on the night, the tie goes to extra time and then penalties.
Vale’s youngsters have already met Salford in the league, drawing 2-2 away after coming from 2-0 down.
They will be looking to build on a determined effort at Walsall’s Banks’s Stadium in the first round.
The Saddlers took a 20th-minute lead when Antonio Christofaro’s shot deceived keeper Joe Collinge, but they were reduced to ten men eight minutes later when Thomas Cox was red-carded for bringing down striker Kamani Mcfarlane.
Vale centre half and captain Ellis Jones headed home James Plant’s cross to level on 52 minutes but they couldn’t find a way past Walsall’s ten men until spot kicks.
That didn’t matter as Collinge saved three out of three while Vale scored three out of four, going through with successful spot-kicks from Jones, Mcfarlane and 16-year-old substitute Ben Lomax.