On the 18th April, it was a promotion clash as Port Vale faced Bristol Rovers at Vale Park. Port Vale were on a tremendous run, looking to get their sixth victory in a row. Sitting in 3rd place, they were also 9 games unbeaten as they were looking to extend the gap from the automatic places to the playoffs and what better way to do it than facing the side that sit in 5th place Bristol Rovers. Vale were looking for a return to league 1 having suffered 5 years in league 2 following their 2016-17 league one relegation, and with 5 points clear of Northampton Town and Bristol Rovers in the promotion chase, and only 3 games left to play after this one, a win today would really put Vale in the hotseat for a promotion party!
However, they were facing a team today who had been hunting down the promotion pack since the start of the new year. A poor start to the season gave Joey Barton’s team no choice but to go on an incredible run and with 14 wins in their last 22 games, only losing 3 times, this Rovers team feared no one as they themselves were looking for an immediate return to league one following their disappointing relegation last season. What a game we had in prospect today! These are the matches everyone wants to play in – an end of season promotion clash in the warm sunny city of Stoke.
As the players walked out, they were welcomed by a nervous but anticipated applause from both sets of supporters. A record attendance for the season today, potentially being Port Vale’s biggest attendance in over 9 years! Port Vale were in their Real Madrid-like kit in a shimmering white shirt with delicate patches of gold. The away side today were in their green and yellow quartered away kit as it was Bristol Rovers who were about to kick us off. A roar from the crowd as the referee blew his whistle for the match to begin. It was the same referee today as the one these two teams had in the reverse fixture earlier on in the season. Port Vale won that game 2-1 and Bristol Rovers ended the game with nine men!
A bright start from the home side as they were looking to pile the pressure on early and a lovely ball was played into the box and there was Jamie Proctor with a tap in to put Vale in front, just 2 minutes into the game! His 12th goal of the season erupted Vale Park – Port Vale 1-0 Bristol Rovers! Port Vale were piling on the pressure now as they were brimming with confidence – their energy levels generated even more by this Vale crowd who were right behind their team! Bristol Rovers had to get through this early spell. A second goal for the home side would make this a very difficult tie to turn around. 9 minutes in, a Port Vale midfielder was caught in possession and the Bristol Rovers captain Paul Coutts came away with the ball, immediately spotting the Newcastle loan scarlet Elliot Anderson making a run forward. The ball was inch perfect as the Rovers player ran onto the ball and was now through on goal. He rifled the ball into the top left corner, the Vale keeper had no chance! This kid was destined for premier league football! We haven’t even played 10 minutes of football yet and the score was Port Vale 1-1 Bristol Rovers!
Bristol Rovers had very much become a possession-based team under Barton this season and this helped them calm down this highly energetic Port Vale team. It was a very cagey game with few chances since the first two goals but in the 32nd minute, Bristol Rovers took a short corner and Antony Evans whipped a delightful ball into the Vale box and there was James Conelly to tap it in! The young defender on loan from Cardiff had been instrumental at the other end of the pitch since his arrival, had just popped up with a huge goal for the away side. Port Vale 1-2 Bristol Rovers. As the first half drew to a close, Port Vale were looking for an equaliser as a mistake from Connor Taylor meant that Jamie Proctor was through on goal! But superb last ditch defending as Connor Tayor, the man on loan from Vale’s fiercest rivals Stoke City, made up for his error and the ball went out for a corner. That was the last action of the first half as the referee blew his whistle, the players went into the break, Port Vale 1-2 Bristol Rovers.
As the second half began, you could tell the away side were playing a little bit more conservate, looking to try and keep possession and be tight at the back. They knew Port Vale would have to come out a bit more, they would be left vulnerable to counter attacks. As for the home side, they needed a more positive half and haven’t yet really tested the Rovers keeper, that would have been the half time message for the Vale players. A vitally important second half for both teams!
The second half had very little chances and with 68 minutes on the clock, Port Vale were looking for a counter-attack from a Bristol Rovers corner. The ball was played into James Wilson, the Port Vale number 9, formerly of Manchester United, a fantastic turn from him meant he was away from two Rovers players. He then threaded a ball through to the substitute Dan Jones who was now through on goal. Belshaw in the Rovers goal was quick off his line though, but Jones managed to get a shot away, the ball went past the keeper… and just past the post for a goal kick to Bristol Rovers. The home supporters were urging their team on now, but Bristol Rovers were keeping the ball well, killing any sort of Vale momentum. They were used to this! They knew how to grind out wins.
A lack of Port Vale chances in the second half led to them making attacking changes, and in injury time, they started throwing bodies forward. Rovers had 6 minutes additional time to hold on. In the 94th minute, a crossfield pass from Vale was intercepted and headed away by Harry Anderson, which set Sam Finley on the chase, it was 2 on 2! He ran to the halfway line and spotted the Rovers substitute Ryan Loft, through on goal. Loft was now bearing down the Vale goal as he took a touch to control the ball, he chipped the ball over the Vale keeper and into the back of the net for his first Rovers goal since joining from struggling Scunthorpe in January. The travelling away supporters were in ecstasy! Port Vale 1-3 Bristol Rovers!
As the referee blew the final whistle, a disappointed record home crowd exited the ground as the gasheads behind the Vale goal began their celebrations. Port Vale were still sat in 3rd place however, with Northampton winning and defeat today meant they were now only two points above Bristol Rovers and Northampton Town. With teams chasing Vale for automatic promotion, they must ensure that today was only a small dent in their promotion charge. As for Bristol Rovers, they continue their surge up the football league and you have to say, even if they do miss out on automatic promotion, they would certainly be hot favourites for the playoff fight with the momentum they are on. It is still in Vale’s hands though, but this result just caved the league back open once again and it is all to play for in these last three games!
The Football Report 
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