United effort can help Valiants to climb to safety in League One, insists Sang

TOM Sang believes “togetherness in the group” is what is going to dig Port Vale out of their hole in the League One relegation zone.

The Valiants defender says the players are ready to do battle against Lincoln City, today, and also again against Fleetwood Town next Tuesday night.

They are two big matches for Vale who have not won a game since December 29 when they beat Blackpool 3-0 at Vale Park.

In the eight matches played this year, Vale have scored just eight goals and have lost six of those matches – while they only scraped one of the two draws in the final moments of eight minutes of stoppage time, at home to Stevenage.

Sang knows being in it together is key and he said: “I think that togetherness in the group is massive. The gaffer has been saying to us, ‘pull your mate through’, especially in the games when the games get tough. You’ve got to be there for each other and I think that is going to be a big thing for us moving forward, to start getting results.”

A fast start is needed against Lincoln to get the home crowd going, in what is Darren Moore’s first home game in charge. He has lost two from two so far since taking over from Andy Crosby.

“The start of the game can sort of set the tone,” said Sang. “If the start of the game is tough then that can’t be us getting our heads down. I think we need to show a lot of bravery and courage and be there for each other in that game and hopefully get the three points.”

Asked whether the team have to call upon the experience of beating the likes of Blackpool and Wigan Athletic at home earlier in the campaign he said: “You take each game as it comes and I’m not sure you use the mentality of games before. But you know it’s in the locker. You know it’s there in the changing room and we can do it.”