LACK OF ENTERTAINMENT ON SHOW AS VALE BID FAREWELL TO THIRD TIER
PORT Vale ended their stay in League One with a dour 0-0 home draw against Cambridge United. MIKE BAGGALEY looks at the talking points from the final-day encounter at Vale Park...
THE GAME
Let’s be honest, it was as flat as an oatcake.
Vale, you won’t need reminding, were already down while any jeopardy on the game for Cambridge was pretty much absent once Burton went behind early at Fleetwood.
I’m not saying the teams weren’t trying but there was a lack of drama with Cambridge looking the more composed side but Vale actually creating the two best chances, as Uche Ikpeazu failed to connect with a second-half header and Alex Iacovitti planted a late header too close to the keeper.
The result at least ended Vale’s run of losing their final home game in each of the last nine seasons (not counting 2019/20 which was cut short because of Covid) but I’m not trumpeting a goalless draw as a success.
THE ATMOSPHERE
I was surprised as many as 6,378 turned up, even considering that included 1,066 from Cambridge. Supporters were patient, remarkably so, with the atmosphere only briefly turning mutinous when Uche Ikpeazu missed a second-half sitter. In fact, defiant is a better description of the home atmosphere as fans saw their team out of League One with chants of ‘Vale till I die’.
Vale didn’t do a lap of honour around the ground, more a lap of the centre circle so they could applaud all the home ends and thank them for their support throughout the season. Fair enough. I don’t know what purpose trudging around the perimeter of the pitch in front of mostly empty stands after finishing second-from-bottom would really have achieved.
The muted end to Vale’s season contrasted with the scenes in front of the Bycars where Garry Monk and his Cambridge players were orchestrating the cheers from their supporters and walloping balloons about in recognition of staying up to book a fourth successive season in League One.
Good luck to them. Let’s hope it’s not too many campaigns – one would be nice – before there’s cause for an end-of-season celebration in the home ends at Vale Park.
RHYS WALTERS, JACK SHORROCK AND THE ACADEMY
It was a shame Walters’ performance was cut short by a foot injury after only 17 minutes because he started well having been given the chance in central midfield alongside Ben Garrity. The 18-year-old has yet to sign a professional deal but the club remain hopeful of getting him under contract.
Jack Shorrock is in a slightly different situation to Walters because as I understand it – well, club statistician Phil Sherwin told me and he understands the rules – he can only a sign a pro deal now he has turned 17 at the weekend. This was a good day for the club’s academy with striker Baylee Dipepa also starting and forward Andrew Buah getting on as a late substitute while midfielder Karl Agnero was an unused substitute having graduated from the under16s to be part of the under-18 squad next season.