NO NEW STRIKER - BUT VALE BENEFIT FROM SPOT OF DEVINE INTERVENTION
THE end of the transfer window was a damp squib as far as Port Vale fans were concerned. Craving a striker, they got nothing. For those supporters it must have felt like being a kid waking up on Christmas morning expecting a nice new bike, only to discover a tangerine, a walnut and a sugar mouse.
“It had to be the right player right from the start,” said boss Andy Crosby.
“That’s why we have identified a way of wanting to play and then we have tried to identify a profile of player to fit into that style of football.
“That’s what we will continue to do and we started that process right back in May and we’ve added pieces to the jigsaw so to speak. Now we are here as the window is about to close and that process won’t change.”
Crosby didn’t sound hopeful in bringing in forward and insisted the club were looking at all positions.
“We prepare for every eventuality and we will see at one minute past 11 what we have got and what we’ve not got,” he added.
Looking ahead to the Oxford United away Crosby added: “I think when you recruit the amount of players we have and you try to play in a way we are, everything is going to take time.
“We are going to have bad moments, we are going to have bad games and bad moments in the games but as long as we are looking back and evaluating and finding the reasons why that happened we can then move on and try and solve that problem. So in terms of results we are in a decent place. We are picking up results, but it’s important we retain that humility as we approach the next game because it’s the most important one.”
It seems remarkable now that Vale had enjoyed such a good run.
They were riding the crest of a wave and that was confirmed as, on September 2, they went to Oxford United and won 2-1.
A last-kick-of-the-game winner from Alfie Devine, who showed nerves of steel to crack in a late penalty, sparked delirium among the Vale fans who had made the trip.
Some could point to the sending off of Oxford’s Mark Harris as the game-changer.
It had an effect, but it’s not fair to say it was purely down to that.
Managerial nous, the exuberance of youth and experience in key moments were the catalyst for Vale’s victory.
Ben Garrity’s introduction at half-time was pivotal. He added muscular presence.
Vale showed durability and seemingly boundless energy. At that time they were getting stronger towards the end of games.
They hung in there with some superb defending and thanks to an indefatigable spirit and high level of fitness, they were able to strike a blow when the opposition was least expecting it.
Funso Ojo, Nathan Smith and Alex Iacovitti in particular were leading by example and the level of the younger players was complementing the side well.
Of course, at that time there were few injuries and Crosby seemingly had two players for every position.
Devine had already shown the quality he has. The free-kick goal he assisted for Iacovitti’s header was a carbon copy of the goal Wilson scored at Charlton Athletic from Ethan Chislett’s delivery.
Smith epitomised the dogged spirit of the squad.
There was a moment that is hard to believe after the game at Oxford.
The reaction of Crosby in front of the visiting fans after the final whistle was a joy as players and staff looked on with wide smiles. It wasn’t so long ago he was met with insults and had metaphorical eggs thrown at him after the final whistle at Barnsley.
Fast forward a few weeks and he was rightly getting the plaudits he deserved as he was thrust forward by the staff to drink in the adulation.
But it is fair to say, this was as good as it got for Crosby.
It would have been pertinent at the time to say, ‘enjoy it mate, it won’t last’ but then hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Even the fans were cock-a-hoop.
After that Oxford win it was another home clash against Crewe Alexandra, this time in the EFL Trophy.
Crosby made nine changes and fully utilised his squad while giving chances to academy boys, including Baylee Dipepa and Liam Brazier, who both came on as subs.
Jayson Leutwiler made his debut – well, he had to have a run out at some point.
Funso Ojo, Ben Garrity and Jason Lowe were on at the end and Crosby eulogised about what an example they were setting.
Crosby highlighted a familiar problem when he said afterwards: “When we get into the final third and we are getting real control, which we did in the first half, we have to produce more consistent moments in the final third.
“We have to create better goalscoring opportunities for us to move forward and become a better team. That’s what the staff have been doing, looking at the first six games of the season in terms of the league and where we are currently at and the areas we need to get better at to keep improving.
“That’s the focus going forward. We have to keep improving. We’ve made a decent start but we have to keep working hard on every single aspect of our game.”
Garrity had been given the captain’s armband having been left out at Oxford.
At the time he knew he was in a battle to earn a spot in the team for League One matches as there was such fierce competition.
That didn’t last long either as he became Vale’s most vital player and the only one seemingly capable of scoring goals on a consistent basis.