HIGH FIVE AS VALE KEEP ON WINNING
TOO easy to beat when they were sliding down the table three months ago, Port Vale are a different proposition these days.
Goals from Dave Worrall, on 48 minutes, and Kurtis Guthrie, on 90, gave them a 2-0 win at Harrogate – their fifth victory in a row and arguably their hardestearned of that impressive League Two run.
They had to hold on before the break but, having edged in front through Worrall’s excellent volley, rarely looked like conceding that lead.
The result moves them up to 15th, well clear of relegation trouble, with six games to play. The result, and their form, will also give supporters plenty to look forward to for next season under Darrell Clarke.
The manager had the luxury of naming the same starting XI for the fourth game in succession.
Meanwhile, history was made as Rebecca Welch became the first female referee to take charge of a Football League game from the start.
Harrogate offered the first threat as the ball was worked left to Dan Jones, who is on loan from Salford. He whipped in his cross before Worrall could get back to block it. But the ball flew across the face of goal with nobody there.
That set the tone for a half in which the home side had much the better of the game. They created half a chance as Josh Mcpake skated past Nathan Smith and to the edge of the area, but his shot was blocked by a combination of Leon Legge and Shaun Brisley.
Brisley is the most ‘nononsense’ of the back three, but that’s not a criticism as Vale were penned in playing against the wind and relying on him repeatedly sticking his head or boot in the way to repel home attacks.
Vale generally stood up to the pressure but were grateful to Scott Brown after Manny Oyeleke conceded a free-kick 30 yards out for a foul on Lloyd Kerry. George Thomson’s free-kick picked out James Beck and the striker’s powerful header required a reflex save low to Brown’s left.
Harrogate were making the most of playing with the wind in the first half. Keeper James Belshaw pumped a free-kick forward which Brisley could only glance behind for a corner. Jones rose to meet that, but Conlon cleared at the far post.
Jack Muldoon kept up the pressure as he beat Smith on his way into the area before the ball flicked off Legge. However, appeals for handball and a penalty were waved away.
Mcpake’s powerful shot from 25 yards was beaten away by Brown but the rebound dropped to Muldoon who volleyed goalwards from 15 yards – but too close to Brown who parried it.
Jones’ long throws were causing problems, particularly with the advantage of the wind.
Smith headed the latest out for a corner. That was cleared but the ball swung in for Connor Hall who went down appealing for a push, but referee Welch played on.
Vale created a rare chance before the break as Montano slid the ball through to pick out Devante Rodney’s run into the left of the area. He tried to beat the keeper but the angle was tight and the low shot was saved by Belshaw.
Vale would have been grateful to get to the break all square, but still had to survive a scare as Jones’ long, flat throw was half cleared to Muldoon whose looping header was easily saved by Brown.
Having had to hold on in the first half, they took the lead within three minutes of the second as Theo Robinson glanced up and played a crossfield pass to pick out Worrall in space on the right of the area. He took full advantage, hammering a volley past Belshaw from 15 yards.
Harrogate tried to force their way back into the game but Vale were defending determinedly and Montano did well to force Will Smith wide before his off-balance cross sailed over.
Conlon went into the book for leaving a foot in on Josh Falkingham as the midfielder cleared.
That was followed by a double substitution, two minutes later as Oyeleke and Rodney were replaced by Jake Taylor and Guthrie.
Montano’s through-ball caused a mix up between keeper Belshaw and defender Hall as Robinson pounced on the loose ball wide on the right and whipped in a cross that was scrambled away.
Taylor send a 20-yard sidefooted effort well over. A second goal would have made Vale more comfortable but Harrogate were far less of
a threat then then had been before the break, as was underlined when Muldoon gathered the ball on the right but harmlessly overhit his cross.
They came closer when Jones’ inswinging cross was headed back across goal but just eluded Muldoon at the far post.
But they were isolated attacks rather than the sustained pressure they had been able to exert before the break. Vale were looking just as capable of adding a second, although Montano’s 18-yard shot was more hopeful than precise as the ball sailed a yard over.
Guthrie came closer with a swerving 25-yard strike beaten away by the keeper before Mark Cullen replaced Robinson on 83 mins.
But Guthrie made certain of the win, on 90 minutes when he cut inside and bent a low shot, right-footed across Belshaw and inside the far post.