Wellens on the attack as strikers fire blanks

RICHIE Wellens turned on his misfiring forwards after Swindon slugged out a drab draw at home to Port Vale.

The Robins’ faint play-off hopes suffered a setback as the entire first half passed by without a shot on target for either side.

Wellens said: “We played some good football, but just over-hit the last pass. You look at them in the second half, they’ve got the wind and had one shot.

“Our forward-thinking players let us down. We defended well and in the second half we got into better situations and didn’t take them, there was a lack of quality in the final third.

“We defended well and in the second half, we got in better situations, but we just didn’t take them or find the final pass. That is frustrating

“It’s up to individuals to take responsibility, to take more efforts, to show flair, to express themselves.

“I’m not a manager who holds people back, I picked four players to express themselves and win the game.”

Swindon failed to trouble Scott Brown in the Port Vale goal in the opening 45 minutes and Theo Robinson’s Paolo Di Canio-style longrange volley wide was the only meaningful attempt.

Vale took until the 56th minute to register their first shot as Luke Joyce’s effort from distance dribbled safely straight at Lawrence Vigouroux.

Kaiyne Woolery at least gave the home fans something to get excited about a minute later following a quick counter-attack, but his strike was drilled narrowly past the near post.

Leon Legge came closest to a winner for Vale, but his powerful goal-bound header from a corner was well saved by goalkeeper Vigouroux.

Vale boss John Askey blamed the blustery conditions for his side’s poor showing.

He said: “The last three performances we played really well – but this was difficult because of the conditions.

“There was very little action in the boxes, but we come away happy with a point and it keeps our run going.”

Askey also said his side are still not safe from dropping out of the League and set them a 50-point target. He added: “Macclesfield won and Notts County drew – we just need to keep our heads down and keep working towards 50 points.”