Dennis Politic was the star of the show as he scored a fabulous hattrick to help Vale secure passage to the Papa Johns Trophy knockout stages with a convincing 4-0 victory away at Shrewsbury Town.

• Dennis Politic nets a hattrick for the Valiants, his first goals since his return to the club.
• A first start for deadline day signing Liam McCarron.
• Jack Shorrock plays 15 minutes to become Vale’s youngest ever player at just 15 years and 145 days old.

The victory meant the Valiants had beaten Salop for the second time in just four days thanks to the three goals from Politic and a thunderbolt from Brad Walker.

Politic scored his first goal since his return to Vale to open the scoring after 15 minutes when his strike from just outside of the box was deflected past Harry Burgoyne after he brilliantly created space for himself.

Our number 33 got his second 11 minutes after the break to double our lead after he smashed home when the ball fell to him from David Worrall’s cross-box header.

Politic’s hattrick was completed only a minute later, this time through a beautiful curling effort into the top right-hand corner, after being set up nicely by Tommy McDermott inside the area.

With 15 minutes to go, Walker added the fourth through a fantastic strike from outside the box after a well-worked free-kick set him up for the hit.

Vale made 11 changes from the team that beat Salop on Saturday, with Liam McCarron and Politic making their first starts since signing.

Jack Shorrock also came on with 15 minutes to go making him the youngest player to ever play for the Valiants at just 15 years and 145 days old.

The first chance of the game came for the home side through Elliot Bennett managed to get his head on a corner, but his effort sailed over the bar.

Vale’s first effort on goal then came at the 10-minute mark after Brad Walker fed the ball to Thierry Small, and his shot from the edge of the box forced Harry Burgoyne to parry it away.

After the opening goal, Vale grew in confidence, and debutant Liam McCarron looked like he could add a second after dancing around a couple of defenders in the area, but unfortunately, he couldn’t make a clean connection with his strike.

Ten minutes into the second period, Vale continued to control the game, and they came close to a second when Thierry Small ran onto a through ball after a brilliant run from McDermott, but he was foiled by Burgoyne.

Vale continued to pepper the Shrewsbury goal, with Sammy Robinson seeing a long-range strike saved on 60 minutes after a mistake at the back saw Small break free to set him up.

The hosts came close to a consolation goal with just over 20 minutes to go after the ball fell to Ryan Bowman, but he smashed the ball over the bar from close range.

Small then went up the other end and saw his effort from the left-hand side drift just wide of the post.

Our number 18 came close once again with just moments remaining when he was sent through by substitute Gavin Massey, but he couldn’t quite turn his effort home.

Shrewsbury Town | Burgoyne, Moore, Winchester (58’ Antal), Bowman, Street, Bennett (83’ Owusu Gyimah), Bloxham (46’ Nurse), Caton (76’ Etienne, 83’ Hearnes), Barlow, Bailey, Hutchings

Unused Subs | Bevan, Warner

Port Vale | Stone, Walker, Hall, Worrall (75’ Shorrock), Conlon (62’ Plant), Forrester, Small, Robinson, McDermott, McCarron (62’ Cass), Politic (62’ Massey)

Unused Subs | Stevens, Benning, Jones

Attendance | 1,635 (253 Valiants)