Easy Pickings For Mighty Vale

A solid performance with goals from Marc Richards, Simon Richman and John McCombe saw Vale move up to seventh spot with a comfortable 3-1 victory.

Vale lined up with Anthony Griffith at right-back replacing the suspended Sam Stockley, David Howland starting in midfield alongside Ross Davidson with Louis Dodds and Simon Richman providing the width. Marc Richards was named skipper for the game, and started up front with Luke Rodgers.

We were fantastic in the opening 45 minutes, playing some good attacking football and looking solid at the back. Griffith had a great game at right-back, and looked a far better option than Sam Stockley – Sinnott may have a bit of a dilemma on his hands. Lee Collins continued to impress at left-back, and John McCombe and Chris Slater look to be forging a good partnership in the centre of defence.

Vale took the lead on fifteen minutes, Rodgers and Richards linking up and the move ending with Richards firing a re-bounded shot in off the post.

Richards nearly added a second not long later, forcing a good save from the Bournemouth Keeper. The visitors looked poor, toothless going forward and shaky in defence. Vale dominated the midfield, Darren Anderton in particular looking anonymous.

But despite all the pressure Vale were creating the half ended with just the one goal dividing the teams.

Half Time: Port Vale 1-0 Bournemouth

What happened at half-time? Vale came out in the second half and completely abandoned the controlled, passing football they had shown in the first, instead opting for the sluggish long ball game which blights so many of our performances.

And we got our just desserts. Just before the hour mark a free-kick from Darren Anderton was pumped into the box, headed back across the goal and nodded home with the Vale defence guilty of ball watching.

Fortunately this proved to be the spur that Vale needed. Sinnott brought on Chelsea starlet Tom Taiwo for Davidson, and he had an immediate impact – playing a nice one-two in midfield before sliding the ball through for Rodgers on the right. Rodgers had his shot saved, but following up was Simon Richman to put Vale 2-1 up.

Two minutes later it was all over. Vale won a corner which was taken quickly by Louis Dodds and headed home at the near post by John McCombe.

Bournemouth had nothing to offer after conceding the third, and look like a team who are going to have a long, hard struggle this season.

Next Saturdays sees the visit of Bradford City which should be a cracking game, but before then we have a trip to Stockport County in the esteemed Paint Pot Trophy…

Player Ratings

Joe Anyon 6
Had very little to do today, Bournemouth offered very little going forward.

Anthony Griffith 8
Star man

Lee Collins 7
Another very assured performance at left back.

Chris Slater 7
Played very well, I was impressed by him for the first team.

John McCombe 7
Scored his first Vale goal today and gave another confident performance.

Simon Richman 8
Potentially Richman could become a very good player. Scored his first Vale goal and was busy throughout.

David Howland 7
A steady but unspectacular game for Howland, got stuck in and won the midfield battle.

Ross Davidson 7
Growing in stature and another competent display.

Louis Dodds 6
A little quiet today, but again showed nice touches.

Marc Richards 7
Scored his third of the season and is looking an excellent target man. Will he still be at Vale Park once the transfer deadline hits us? Wouldn’t be surprised if this is his last game.

Luke Rodgers 7
Best performance so far this season, involved in everything good.

Tom Taiwo 7
Came on after Bournemouth had equalised and set up a goal straight away. Technically the Chelsea youngster is light years ahead of the rest of the squad. Kept possession well, moved the ball around well.

Danny Glover 6
Came on for Richman, did ok.
Replaced Dodds and did his usual pedestrian non-league stuff.