FA-cupen Grimsby-Port Vale 1-0
Tack och adjö till årets cup turneringar blev det för Port Vale efter tisdagskvällen chock förlust mot conference laget Grimsby Town i omspelsmatchen i FA-cupen. The Valiants har lyckats med att bli utslagna i första omgången av samtliga tre cupturneringar i år.
Redaktören och lagets övriga supportrar befinner sig i chocktillstånd och det känns som att luften har gått ur årets säsong. Kritiken mot laget och styrelsen har ökat lavinartad sedan förlusten. Det handlar inte bara om att man förlorar då man inte heller spelar bra för tillfället. Detta var lagets fjärde tävlingsmatch (och tredje förlust) i november månad och man har inte lyckats göra ett mål på 360 minuters speltid. Redaktören orkar inte beskriva den bedrövliga tillställningen på Blundell Park varför vi istället återger en del av matchreferatet från vår samarbetspartners onevalefan.co.uk.
“Port Vale's faces were as red as their borrowed shirts as they crashed out of the FA Cup after a 1-0 replay defeat to non-league Grimsby Town. It was the third time in the last ten years that Vale have lost to non-league opponents in the FA Cup - the other defeats coming to Scarborough (2003) and Chasetown (2007).
Micky Adams made four changes with the most significant seeing Chris Martin coming in for Stuart Tomlinson in goal. Meanwhile, Lee Collins was passed fit, Doug Loft failed a fitness test and the out-of-sorts Sean Rigg dropped to the bench. Due to injuries, Vale only named six substitutes including youth teamers Joe Davis and Ryan Lloyd.
Due to their grey away kit not being distinguishable from Grimsby's home kit, Vale then suffered the embarassment of lining up in Grimsby's red away kit. The Vale had not won in four games, but got off to a strong start as they forced Grimsby onto the backfoot in the opening ten minutes.
But Grimsby had the best chance on twenty minutes as Liam Hearn had a clear chance on goal and forced a fine save out of Chris Martin. Then Dodds, who had been quiet in the opening stages had a decent chance for Vale forcing a decent save out of the home keeper McKeown. Morsy went even closer on twenty one minutes with a shot that was tipped onto the post by McKeown.
In the second-half the home side came out much brighter and went closest to taking the lead as Elding took advantage of a McDonald mistake but failed to hit the target. Then Vale survived again as Elding's header was cleared off the line with Grimsby players appealing for a goal. Grimsby's pressure finally paid off in the 59th minute as Makofo found the target to put the home side 1-0 ahead.
The home side had a chance to double their lead only for Martin to pull off a fine save from Elding. Vale then went close from a fine strike from Roberts. But Grimsby went close to doubling their lead as they struck the outside of the post. Rigg went close from a good ball from Roberts and threw on Roe for his Vale debut, but it was too little, too late and the pressure will mount on manager Micky Adams to add new faces after this latest cup upset.”
Källa: onevalefan.co.uk
