Our penultimate home game of the season sees the Valiants take on Wycombe Wanderers under the lights of Vale Park.

The Vale will be looking to get back to winning ways after defeat against Exeter City in our last outing.

Gaffers Thoughts:

Here’s what Darren Moore had to say after to our loss to Exeter City

“You saw the good of Vale in the first 45 minutes, but then the very bad of Vale for 40 minutes in the second half after their goal went in for 2-1.”

“That’s in terms of how can a performance be so good and electrifying in the first half, to blow away your opponents, and then in the second half give your opponents every bit of encouragement to get back in the game? Not just get back in the game, but to go and win the game.”

“Football can be a beautiful game, but we know it can be a cruel game. In the second half we witnessed it at its most cruel.”

The gaffer also looked ahead to tonight’s fixture:

“We have to apply ourselves right on Tuesday because, if we perform like that second half, we will get nothing from the game. If we perform like the first half, then we have something to hang our hat on to get the right result on Tuesday.

“We have to keep going. Just as we think we have figured out this game and this industry, it can just turn. When we all surmise how things are going to go, football has a knack of turning things on its head. You saw that today.”

The Opposition

Wycombe Wanderers currently sit in 14th place in League One with 55 points from their 42 games so far this season.

The Chairboys come into the game off the back of a 2-0 away win against Shrewsbury Town at the weekend. Both goals came in last ten minutes, Luke Leahy opened the scoring after 83 minutes before Richard Kone doubled his side's lead in added time to help Wycombe come away with all three points and pick up their first win in four games.

Who’s In charge?

The Chairboys are managed by a Wycombe Legend in Matt Bloomfield who played 488 appearances for the club in a career that spanned just under 20 years at Adams Park. Bloomfield took over the reins when club legend Gareth Ainsworth left the club to join QPR in February 2023.

In his first full season in charge, he has had a steady league campaign whilst also guiding his side to the Bristol Street Motors Trophy final where they were narrowly beaten by Peterborough United at Wembley Stadium. In his 69 games in charge of Wycombe, he has won 27, drawn 17 and lost 25.

Player to watch - Luke Leahy

The Wycombe full-back has had another productive season for his side. He has got 15 goal involvements for far this season. This comes in the form of nine goals and six assists in his 40 games played. Recently, he scored the opening goal in their 2-0 victory over his former side, Shrewsbury Town.

Another player to keep an eye on is experienced forward, Sam Vokes. In his 36 games played, he has scored four goals and for two assists for Wycombe Wanderers, but his height and experience make him a threat in both boxes.

Last Time We Met

Wycombe Wanderers 1-1 Port Vale, Saturday 23rd December 2023.

The points were shared at Adams Park when the sides met earlier in the season.

Kieran Sadlier gave the hosts the lead five minutes into the second half when he met Gareth McLeary’s deep cross at the back post to fire his side into the lead.

As the points looked to be heading Wycombe’s way the Valiants salvaged a draw in the dying embers of the game thanks to James Wilson’s goal. Baylee Dipepa’s cross was met by Ben Garrity who saw his header saved before Wilson fired home the rebound to send the away end into raptures as Vale earned a dramatic draw.