Port Vale 1 Torquay 1 - Full match report!

Port Vale 1-1 Torquay United

1^st September 2012

After a great 3-1 victory away at Morecambe, Port Vale take on an unbeaten Torquay United at Vale Park.  The weather is sunny and pitch is looking immaculate as the match gets underway, Vale shooting towards the home end on a rare occasion. Early crosses from Duffy and Myrie Williams fail to get a shot on target. Piling on the pressure in the first 10 minutes, Popes back header fails to hit the target.

On the 15 minute mark it has been all Vale, good work from Morsy and crosses from both wings have failed to produce any real chances. Torquay press and have a corner (the matches first) on 17 minutes and a few chants from their travelling support of about 100 fail to spur the team on and it gets kicked away. Minutes later and Torquay have another corner, this time Vales defence stop a back to back few chances.

On 23 minutes a defected cross from Shuker reaches Vincent who does a fantastic over head kick that just dips too late and goes over. Vale finally get their first corner on  25 minutes, Shuker’s cross fails to meet McDonald and McCoombe who come up to had a bit of height. Coming up to the half hour, a great run from Myrie Wlliams ends up being put into a sea of yellow shirts. The ball goes up the other end with Torquay is cleared, ends up back with Myrie Williams who tests the keeper with a fine shot, somehow it ends up being put out for a corner which again gets cleared.

On 32 minutes, another chance from Myrie Williams deflects out for another Vale corner, which when taken, hits no Vale head in the box. Vale are really piling the pressure now, but can’t break Torquay down. Torquay themselves then press and a Howe header sees Neal make a great save. More pressure sees Poke, the Torquay keeper save the ball from a dipping effort but still no Vale lead.

Against the run of play, Torquay get the ball to the left wing, a run from Ian Morris on 38 minutes sees Torquay take the lead as he slots the ball into the bottom right hand corner, the vale fans are not happy with the ref and officials as they think the ball crossed the line in the chance that Vale just had when the keeper saved the dipping ball.

Louis Dodds get a chance from a through ball on 42 minutes, but still no way through the yellow defence. On 45 minutes the fourth official adds on 1 more minute for stoppages. A great run by Vincent down the left gives a glimmer, but at half time Vale go in trailing to the Morris goal.

At half time it’s: Port Vale 0 Torquay 1.

Second half and the officials receive a chorus of boos as play gets underway. An early run by Vincent sees him run into the Torquay defenders. On 52 minutes Shuker trys unlock the defence to set the attackers up but to no avail. The resulting play leads to another Vale corner, which is cleared so Vale get another chance, this time McCoombe heads over. This gets the Vale crowd singing, and with over 4 and a half thousand here hopefully this will get things back on track.

Vincent gets a great save out of Poke on 57 minutes, the resulting corner gets all the way back to Chris Neal.  Howe is booked for Torquay after an offside run. Straight after, the Vale fans shout for a penalty as Dodds seems to be pushed, play on says the ref. A few more runs from Vale end up with Loft being fouled, the free kick from Shuker is cleared, better play and more pressure from Vale around the hour mark. An attack from Torquay sees Howe trying to test Neal, over it goes.

 Port Vale have a corner on 63 minutes, this one fails to make the 6 yard box and hits the side netting, still Vale fail to equalise. Torquay attack and Duffy makes great tackle, all the Vale team are performing, and I wonder what Micky Adams is thinking about subs as Torquay bring on Leadbitter for Thompson.

 A Vale free kick on 69 minutes sees Saah head into his own net, 1-1. The crowd become more vocal minutes later as Torquay nearly score another own goal and volley against the post. Vale press again on 74 minutes, and get another corner as the Vale fans jokingly sing ‘Is that all you take away’ to the Travelling Torquay fans.

Howe is replaced by Ryan Jarvis for Torquay on 78 minutes, Pope has a shot soon after and Vale get a corner, the ball is put out again for another which Torquay keep out and another corner is given. No second goal for Vale though as 80 minutes hit.

 Ashley Vincent is given a standing ovation as he is replaced by Rob Taylor on 83 minutes, soon after Vale get another chance but hit the side netting. More Vale attacks are broken down as we get into the last 5 minutes. Leadbitter dives trying to get a penalty the ref is having none of it.

 On 88 minutes, Double substitution for Vale: Dodds is replaced by Burge, Shuker is off for Ben Williamson. Last couple of chances for Vale have been fruitless, so Adams makes his changes. The fourth official has just give 4 minutes time added on. For Torquay on 90 minutes, Bodin is replaced by by Tom Cruise to a big roar. Vale get a corner which after a few heads somehow stays out the net. Credit to Torquay’s defence as they keep vale at bay and it ends 1-1., but Port Vale desereved all 3 points in this one sided game.

Louis Dodds is the vice chairman’s’ Man of the match.

 Port Vale starting XI: Neal, McCoombe, Loft, Dodds, Myrie Williams, Pope, McDonald, Shuker, Morsy, Vincent, Duffy.

 Torquay: Poke,  Oastler, Mackenzie, Saah, Nicholson, Morris, Mansell, Craig, Howe, Bodin, Thompson.

Attendance:  4721

 Terry Bossons.

Listen Again to the pre match interviews with Louis Dodds & Richard Duffy below