Ollie Marland strike earns Vale Reserves three points
Port Vale 1 (0) V Gateshead 0 (0)
PORT VALE:Ryan Boot, Joe Evans, Matty Warner, Jack Pryor, Joe Davis, Doug Price, Josh Croft (Elliot Osbourne 75), Louis Tambini, Ollie Marland, Will Whieldon, Ryan Lloyd.
Subs (not used):Joe Hemmings,Luke Wright, Nathan Smith, Macauley Davies.
GATESHEAD:Dale Connor, Lance McGlen, Callum Hope, Rob Ramshaw, Jack Lilley, Chris Bush, Jake Fowler ( David Luke 60), Luke Carr (Peter Ravenhill 60), Liam Henderson (Lee Mole 60), Ryan McGorrigan (Jamie Barton 68).
Port Vale Reserves fielded 2 pros in Joe Davis and Ryan Lloyd along with 18 year old trialists Louis Gambini, from Leicester, along amongst the U18 players against top of the table Gateshead. Vale were first to show when after only 90 seconds a cross from the left saw Marland just beaten to the ball in a dangerous situation and the danger was cleared by the visitors. This was the one and only attacking threat of the first period from the Vale as Gateshead dominated the rest of the half.
After 14 minutes Fowler, an England Youth International on a month’s loan from Middlesbrough, picked up the ball 20 yards in his own half and burst down the middle of the pitch to the edge of the Vale penalty area but then screwed his shot wide of the goal. The next incident of note, just after the halfway period of the half, saw Ryan Boot saving a goal bound effort with an outstretched foot and soon after Davis was in action getting a block on another effort at the expense of a corner. A ball over the top required Price to make up ground to produce another vital tackle and before the interval Boot was again in action saving at the feet of an attacker which resulted in another corner for the visitors.
The second half began in exactly the same fashion as a partially cleared cross by the Vale defence saw an effort ballooned over the bar from 20 yards. On 53 minutes a foul by Price saw Bush hit the dead ball past the wall put Boot at full stretch pushed away for the first of 4 consecutive corners. Vale then made their first threat of the half but Tambini was fouled as he went towards goal and the free kick came to nothing.
The visitors then made three substitutions on the hour mark. Tambini was again in the action as Croft found him in the area but he was unable to get in either a cross or a shot and the opportunity was gone before Gateshead made a fourth substitution. One of their substitutes, Ravenhill, had a shot that was blocked for yet another corner.
steered it home to put Vale ahead, much against the run of play.MarlandOn 75 minutes Vale made their only substitution with Osbourne replacing Croft and his introduction had an immediate effect as he went down the right and crossed into the near post where
Gateshead then went for an equaliser and Bush had a shot from distance that was just over the bar. There was then a lengthy delay as Gateshead’s No. 3, Callum Hope was hurt in an accidental collision and, after 6 minutes of treatment for a neck injury, he was stretchered off the pitch. In the time added on Marland shot over the bar and Davis cut out a dangerous ball to give Vale the win that took them above Gateshead to the top of the table.
Match Report Lindon Roberts