Goals from Mal Benning and Mipo Odubeko seal top spot in Papa Johns Trophy Group C for the Vale.

• Papa Johns Trophy Match Report | Port Vale 2 – 0 Wolves U21s
• Mal Benning and Mipo Odubeko seal victory for Darrell Clarke’s side at Vale Park
• The Vale top Group C in the Papa Johns Trophy, sealing a home tie in the next round and additional prize money with victory

PORT VALE 2
Benning 80
Odubeko 87

WOLVES U21s 0

Attendance: 1,090

The Vale maintained their 100% record in this season’s Papa Johns Trophy as late goals from Mal Benning and Mipo Odubeko sealed a 2-0 win against Wolves U21s at Vale Park.

Darrell Clarke’s side made their dominance pay in the latter stages of the contest between Group C’s already qualified teams when substitute Benning curled a free-kick from the right and Odubeko finished from David Worrall’s cross to seal the victory.

The win sees the Vale secure a home tie in the last 32, with ties to take place in the week commencing 21 November.

Defender Derek Agyakwa made his Vale debut from the start, while current Academy players Rhys Walters and Joao Pevide were included in a matchday squad for the first time. The former would later be introduced from the bench for his first team debut.

Clarke’s side were in control from the off against a Wolves team containing a mixture of players from the Under 21s and Under 18s.

After just five minutes, Dan Butterworth had a great chance to open the scoring when Harry Charsley’s cross to the back post was met by Sammy Robinson, who headed back across goal for the Blackburn Rovers loanee, who was denied by James Storer in the Wolves goal in a central position.

Robinson was again the provider on 22 minutes as he crossed from deep on the left with a well-weighted ball for Rory Holden – making his first appearance in two months – though his header looped over the bar.

Thierry Small crashed an effort into the side-netting soon after, before Tyler Roberts and Leon Chiwome were both denied by Aidan Stone as Wolves U21s posed a threat on the break.

Connor Hall headed a Robinson corner over on the stroke of half-time, with the visitors happier to be going in level at the break.

Robinson fired over from the edge of the Wolves penalty area early in the second half before Roberts again broke at pace, running 60 yards after collecting possession from a Vale corner, though Clarke’s side retreated in numbers to ensure the Vale protected their clean sheet.

Odubeko sent a powerful shot towards goal as the game entered its latter stages, though Storer saved well as the visitors looked to be holding firm to send the tie to penalties.

However, the resolve was finally broken when substitute Benning whipped a left-footed free-kick into Storer’s near post from the right of the penalty area.

Deep into the 90 minutes, Vale put the result beyond doubt when Worrall, who was introduced from the bench alongside Benning, crossed for Odubeko to score his third goal of the season.

Port Vale | Stone, Cass (Worrall 68), Hall, Holden (Politic 57), Small, Charsley (Benning 68), Odubeko (Plant 88), Pett, Agyakwa, Butterworth (Walters 88), Robinson.
Unused subs | Forrester, Silva Pervide.

Wolves | Storer, Mabete (Farmer 84), Tipton, Kandola, Birtwistle (Kaleta 64), Ojinnaka (Hodnett 74), Griffiths, Lembikisa, Keto-Diyawa (Francis-Burrell 84), Roberts, Chiwome (Harkin 64).
Unused subs | Amos, Matheson.