Vale hit SEVEN in front of bumper crowd
Friday 5th April 2013v Burton Albion
Port Vale
League Two
Dean Lyness, Andy Corbett, Aaron Webster, Matt Palmer, Matt Paterson, Jimmy Phillips, Marcus Holness SUBS:
Stuart Tomlinson, Anthony O'Connor, Zander Diamond, Ian Sharps, Damien McCrory, Alex McDonald, Jack Dyer, Lee Fowler, Lee Bell, Jaques Maghoma, Michael Symes BURTON ALBION:
Sam Johnson, John McCombe, Louis Dodds, Chris Shuker, Calvin Andrew, Ben Williamson. SUBS:
Chris Neal, Adam Yates, Anthony Griffith, Darren Purse, Doug Loft, Jennison Myrie-Williams, Tom Pope, Liam Chilvers, Chris Birchall, Lee Hughes, Daniel Jones PORT VALE:
10,978 including 883 visiting supporters At Vale Park
Attendance:
There was a bigger than usual for what was rightly billed as a big match against fellow promotion hopefuls Burton Albion – and Vale responded in style with a memorable performance - their biggest win since 1960!
The opening few minutes of the game were a little scrappy, with Chris Birchall firing wide for the Vale and Lee Bell missing the target at the other end.
The game soon burst into life, however, as Vale took the lead with just eleven minutes on the clock.
GOAL: Doug Loft slipped the ball into the patch of Daniel Jones, who strode forward before sending in a lovely flighted cross toward the far post, which was met by the head of LEE HUGHES, who rose above two blue-shirted defender to send a powerful header past Stuart Tomlinson.
Vale began to press high up the pitch to test the visitors’ resolve, winning a series of corners to keep the visitors all but pinned inside their own half.
Vale doubled their lead in the 21st minute when Tom Pope was bundled over inside the 6 yard box attempted to get on the end of a right wing corner taken by Jennison Myrie-Williams and the referee pointed straight to the spot.
GOAL: LEE HUGHES placed the ball on the penalty spot and waited for the referee to give the signal for the spot kick to be taken. He then slammed the ball down the centre of the goal with Tomlinson diving to his left.
Alex McDonald had an opportunity at the other end just moments later but shot weakly at Chris Neal, and Vale were soon on the attack again.
GOAL: The Valiants increased their lead in the 25th minute when CHRIS BIRCHALL, with nobody closing him down, elected to have a crack at goal from about twenty yards and it flew inside Tomlinson’s left hand post.
Birchall and Tom Pope each fired wide of the target as Vale went looking for a fourth goal, but then the home side took their foot off the gas for a while.
They stepped right back on it after the interval, however, adding another two goals to their total within eleven minutes of the restart.
GOAL: Vale were awarded a penalty in the 50th minute when skipper Doug Loft was upended in the box and LEE HUGHES despatched the spot kick high to Tomlinson’s left for his hat-trick, with the former Vale ‘keeper going the wrong way.
GOAL: Not to be left out, Tom Pope then netted Vale’s fifth, showing terrific composure to beat Tomlinson for his 32nd goal of the season.
Vale made two substitutions. Ben Williamson came on for hat-trick hero Lee Hughes in the 58th minute then in the 65th minute Louis Dodds replaced Jennison Myrie-Williams.
GOAL: The visitors pulled one back in the 70th minute when MATT PATERSON struck with and angled drive to beat Chris Neal, but it was nothing more than a consolation for the Brewers.
Vale made a third change a minute later when Chris Shuker replaced Anthony Griffith and two minutes later Vale restored their five goal advantage.
GOAL: Louis Dodds chipped the ball forward to Tom Pope, who nodded the ball on for BEN WILLIAMSON. The substitute still had it all to do, but he took on his marker and confidently stroked home Vale’s sixth goal.
GOAL: BEN WILLIAMSON then wrapped up the game with time running out, meeting Shuker’s free kick to send a glancing header into the net, leaving Tomlinson wondering what was happening to him on his return to Vale Park.
There was a bigger than usual for what was rightly billed as a big match against fellow promotion hopefuls Burton Albion – and Vale responded in style with three first half goals.
The opening few minutes of the game were a little scrappy, with Chris Birchall firing wide for the Vale and Lee Bell missing the target at the other end.
The game soon burst into life, however, as Vale took the lead with just eleven minutes on the clock.
GOAL: Doug Loft slipped the ball into the patch of Daniel Jones, who strode forward before sending in a lovely flighted cross toward the far post, which was met by the head of LEE HUGHES, who rose above two blue-shirted defender to send a powerful header past Stuart Tomlinson.
Vale began to press high up the pitch to test the visitors’ resolve, winning a series of corners to keep the visitors all but pinned inside their own half.
Vale doubled their lead in the 21st minute when Tom Pope was bundled over inside the 6 yard box attempted to get on the end of a right wing corner taken by Jennison Myrie-Williams and the referee pointed straight to the spot.
GOAL: LEE HUGHES placed the ball on the penalty spot and waited for the referee to give the signal for the spot kick to be taken. He then slammed the ball down the centre of the goal with Tomlinson diving to his left.
Alex McDonald had an opportunity at the other end just moments later but shot weakly at Chris Neal, and Vale were soon on the attack again.
GOAL: The Valiants increased their lead in the 25th minute when CHRIS BIRCHALL, with nobody closing him down, elected to have a crack at goal from about twenty yards and it flew inside Tomlinson’s left hand post.
Birchall and Tom Pope each fired wide of the target as Vale went looking for a fourth goal, but then the home side took their foot off the gas for a while.
They stepped right back on it after the interval, however, adding another two goals to their total within eleven minutes of the restart.
GOAL: Vale were awarded a penalty in the 50th minute when skipper Doug Loft was upended in the box and LEE HUGHES despatched the spot kick high to Tomlinson’s left for his hat-trick, with the former Vale ‘keeper going the wrong way.
GOAL: Not to be left out, Tom Pope then netted Vale’s fifth, showing terrific composure to beat Tomlinson for his 32nd goal of the season.
Vale made two substitutions. Ben Williamson came on for hat-trick hero Lee Hughes in the 58th minute then in the 65th minute Louis Dodds replaced Jennison Myrie-Williams.
GOAL: The visitors pulled one back in the 70th minute when MATT PATERSON struck with and angled drive to beat Chris Neal, but it was nothing more than a consolation for the Brewers.
Vale made a third change a minute later when Chris Shuker replaced Anthony Griffith and two minutes later Vale restored their five goal advantage.
GOAL: Louis Dodds chipped the ball forward to Tom Pope, who nodded the ball on for BEN WILLIAMSON. The substitute still had it all to do, but he took on his marker and confidently stroked home Vale’s sixth goal.
GOAL: BEN WILLIAMSON then wrapped up the game with time running out, metting Shuker’s free kick to send a glancing header into the net, leaving Tomlinson wondering what was happening to him on hios return to Vale Park.
BURTON ALBION:
SUBS: