Port Vale 3, Oxford United 0. Full match report and predictions (including Jonny Wilkes, Lewis Haldane and Ollie Marland).

Port Vale VS Oxford United

N Power League 2

Monday 16th October 2012

Pre match Twitter predictions:

@olliemarland 3-1

@jonny_wilkes 2-0 (Pope double)

@josh_pvfc  2-1 (Pope both)

@dan_townley 2-1

@marksporter 3-1

@steve_townley 2-0

@stoketshirts 2-1

@kingy_6tr 2-2

@stokieadam 2-1

@tonyboulton 2-1 (Pope will score)

@haldanelewis 2-0

@davejohnsonvale 3-1

@nij81 3-1

@dannykelly44 3-1 (Joe’s prediction)

@nataliepearson9 3-0

Tonight Port Vale (who are still second in the table) take on mid table Oxford United on a cold night in Bozlem. Port Vale have had a weekend break due to this match taking place in front of the Sky TV cameras. It’s a welcome break after last Tuesday’s epic Johnstone’s Paint Cup win on penalties against League One’s Walsall. Port Vale have N Power player of the month – Tom Pope looking to add to his already great tally of 12 goals and hopefully Micky Adams’ manager of the month award is not a jinx as Port Vale look to gain on top team Gillingham. One Oxford United face very familiar to Vale fans tonight is Sean Rigg, who headed south in the summer to the Kassam stadium for a new challenge.  The local band; All The Young are match ball sponsors and stand proud as the teams come out, brothers Ryan and Jack Dooley said before the season they wanted to sponsor a match, they picked a potentially good time as Vale hope success is on ‘The Horizon’.

Oxford shoot left to right in all yellow as the match gets underway, Sean Rigg has the first shot of the match, Chris Neal makes sure by tipping over for a corner for The Bulls, it comes across and the visitors head wide. On 3 minutes, Vale break with Vincent who does all the work but can’t produce a decent cross. The Vale fans are as vocal as usual and give Rigg a chorus of ‘You should have stayed at the Vale’ as another Oxford attack leads to nothing. A great cross from Myrie Williams just fails to set up Vincent and Dodds on 6 minutes. Pope gets Vale’s first corner on 8 minutes as he makes Clarke force a save, but the corner is gathered up by the keeper. Myrie Williams has a go for Vale on 13 minutes, just goes wide. James Constable tries his luck for The Bulls 2 minutes later, he too hits it the wrong side of the post.

Vale get a corner on 17 minutes after some good play, McCombe hits the post from the resulting play but the ref had already blown for offside, Oxford try to counter and blast a shot over the bar. Oxford get a corner on the 20 minute mark after a dubious throw in decision against Clayton McDonald, no threat though. Port Vale are trending on Twitter at the moment , let’s hope they can show the world why they have such hype. Micky Adams played down any home problems at last week’s press conference but because the away form is so good it is always been discussed, thankfully Tom Pope helps settle any nerves  on 29 minutes by slotting home at close range, 1-0 to Vale - Pope's 13th of the season. Vale get another chance on 35 minutes, but Pope and Vincent have a mix up and it goes over for an Oxford goal kick. Then on 38 a header from Pope hits the woodwork, it's all much better from The Valiants. Oxford get a corner on 40 after a good chance deflects out, but Vale get it away and Myrie Williams tries his luck from long range, but out it goes. Vale get a corner on 45 minutes as we are told that we are gonna see 1 more minute due to stoppages. Keeper gathers it and gets it away, Vale go in deservedly 1-0 to the good.

At half time it’s: Port Vale 1, Oxford United 0.

Second half Capaldi replaces O’Brien for Oxford as Vale kick off unchanged. Not much to report as 50 minutes is reached, Vale do still look the better team. A break on 51 minutes for the home team and persistence from Vincent sees him net as the keeper fails to gather the ball, 2-0 vale. Oxford make a change on 53 minutes as Heslop is replaced by Alfie Potter, Vale also bring Shuker on for Burge. Dodds tests the keeper seconds later, unlucky not to get on the score sheet then. The Oxford fans are still singing, not bad seeing as there is less than 200 of them and they trail. Morsy gets a yellow card and is lucky to stay on the pitch, he’s had a couple of decisions go against him but the ref is spot on, Sam joins Burge in the book. He makes up for it a few minutes later (61) with an amazing goal from outside the box, 3-0 vale.

Another Vale corner on 67 minutes sees John McCombe head wide for the Vale. Myrie Williams as chance to make it 4 on 69 minutes but Ryan Clarke saves for Oxford. Sean Rigg hits over for Oxford on 71, much to the delight of the home support, they sing ‘Ashley Vincent, is better than Rigg’. Then Vincent has a great chance to score after Myrie Williams does some great work down the Vale right on 74 minutes, he is disappointed with that. Vale freshen up by bringing on Yates for Duffy and Williamson for Dodds seconds later. Oxford get a corner on 75 minutes, they get a lot of time on the ball, but Vale won’t let them in. Myrie Williams produces utter magic and takes on the whole defence then hits the bar on 81 minutes , the visitors regroup and Craddock goes off,  Andy Whing comes on. With less than 5 minutes left, Vale get a free kick, which Shuker delivers, the keeper drops but Pope can’t convert. A blinding run in the last minute from Myrie Williams can only be stopped by an obstruction from Wright who goes in the book. He takes the free kick himself but hits it wide. The fourth official gives 4 minutes time added on, Vale get a corner, which Shuker takes to no avail, they then hold on to win the match convincingly 3-0.

Sam Morsy is the vice chairman’s’ Man of the match.

Final Score: Port Vale 3, Oxford United 0.

Prediction winner is: @nataliepearson9 3-0

Port Vale starting XI: Neal, McCombe, Taylor, Dodds, Myrie Williams, Pope, Mcdonald, Burge, Morsy, Vincent, Duffy.

Oxford United: Clarke, Wright, Chapman, Heslop, Constable, Rigg, Forster Caskey, Worley, O’Brien, Mullins, Craddock.

Attendance:  4596

Terry Bossons.