West BromwichAlbion 3 (3) v Port Vale 2 (0)

Wednesday 17 February 2010

West BromwichAlbion Reserves: DeanKiely, Dwayne Samuels, Luke Connolly, Joss Badie, Ashley Malcolm, Cameron Gayle, Giles Barnes (Lee Lynch 46), Sam Manton, Chris Wood (Lateef Elford-Alliyu 46), Markus Haber (Akil Grier 61), Kayleden Brown. Subs not used: Ryan Allsop, Ethan Mannion.

Port Vale Reserves: JoeAnyon, Sam Morsy, Matthew Bell, Dave Howland (Charlie Raglan 89), Mick Ede (Joe Davies 81), Luke Prosser, Simon Richman, Doug Loft (Anthony Malbon 70), Danny Glover, Robert Taylor, Louis Dodds. Subs not used: Liam Rice, Dave Watson.

Vale kicked-off the game with snow falling but there was no danger of the game falling foul of the weather with the under-soil heating ensuring it melted as it landed. Vale coach Mick Ede made an appearance, the first since his appearance at Congleton in a pre-season friendly.

The second minute saw Wood cutting in from the left and shooting from just inside the corner of the penalty area and the ball went just wide of the far post. It was only a stay of execution though as Brown intercepted a pass out of defenceand fed Wood who missed the ball completely with his first attempt, but as Prosser challenged and went to ground, Wood recovered and slotted the ball into the far corner to give the Baggies the lead with less than 4 minutes on the clock.

The majority of the attacks were from the home side, mainly through Brown on the left but Ede did well to cut out a ball that would have put Barnes clear. Vale eventually had a chance after Glover was fouled and the ball fell to Dodds whose shot was blocked as he claimed a penalty to no avail. Vale were now getting into the game and a shot from Bell well held by Kylie at base of post in the 15^th minute.

West Brom were next to threaten after 19 minutes after Prosser conceded a free kick 25 yards out and Labadie's fierce ground shot flew just wide of the post. Vale fell further behind on the 25 minute mark as Labadie knocked the ball past Howland and Prosser and Prosser was adjudged to have impeded his run and a penalty was given. Wood stepped up send Anyon the wrong way and extend West Brom's lead.

The half-hour mark saw Woods complete his hat trick as he ran at the Vale defense from midway in the Vale half and as he approached the edge of the penalty area, with the defenders still backing off, he coolly placed it into the far, right hand corner of the net. Vale had a promising move as they worked the ball forward following a foul on Loft on the halfway line, however Dodds could not find space for a shot and then Richman was tackled as he shot. From this the home team broke quickly and Barnes long range pile driver was parried out by Anyon, he then completed an impressive triple save as he kept out good efforts from Brown and Haber in the 36^th minute.

Vale had a good chance to score in the 42^nd minute as Morsy won a tackle and then found Taylor on the edge of the area, he played it into the path of Dodds, but his shot from 16 yards lacked the power to beat Kylie.

Vale had the first attack but without threatening to score and Brown swept down the right wing but his cross was behind the incoming forwards. Vale escaped after 6 minutes of the half as Labadie's powerful shot struck the base of the left hand post and rebounded to safety.

Vale had their closest chance yet as a foul on Taylor out on the left wing allowed Howland the chance to swing over a free kick. The cross was met by Glover with a stooping header and was deflected on to the outside of the near post for a corner. Vale had another lucky escape as the hour mark approached as a cross from Samuels evaded all attempts to get a foot on it as it slid through a mass of players and out at the far post.

Loft was getting involved in midfield and trying to finds a way through and on one occasion he fed Taylor but his high cross was to near to Kylie and he easily plucked it out of the air. Richman slid in late on Malcolm in the 69^th minute and received the first yellow card of the game.

Vale made a substitution in the 70^th minute that had van almost immediate effect. A croos from near the left corner flag by Howland was met by Malbon and Kylie made a close range block but as Glover went to put it home Malbon beat him to it to give Vale a lifeline as he prodded the ball home.

Vale pushed forward with more purpose now and Richman saw a 20 yard effort pushed over the bar by Kylie. From the corner Brown was penalised for a foul on Prosser, presumably for holding and received a yellow card and a penalty was awarded. Although Glover's penalty was saved by Kylie, Glover put home the loose ball to reduce the lead to a single goal.

Vale were doing most of the pressing and had a good opportunity to level it with 5 minutes to go as Howland's cross from the right reached Dodds coming in from the left but he blazed high and wide. Chances still came for the Vale with a loose ball in the penalty area seeing two shots blocked from Taylor and Howland.

Lindon Roberts - Port Vale Volunteers Group.