Tranmere Rovers 2 Port Vale 1
Final Third Development League – Western Division
Tranmere Rovers 2 Port Vale 1
minute. Rover’s Callum Harris received the ball in the Vale half and moved forward before hitting a fine shot into the top corner.thTranmere almost scored in the first minute when Leo Riley curled a 20 yard effort against the post. Macauley Davies hit a shot from a Billy Reeves cross over the bar for Vale before Tranmere did take the lead in the 10
Vale were level four minutes later from the spot. Wilson Carvalho weaved his way into the box only to be brought down by Antonie Boland. Carvalho dusted himself down to fire the penalty down the centre of the goal to level the scores.
Cole Stockton fired over the bar for Rovers but it was Vale who came close to taking the lead on the half hour mark. A long ball from the back by Aaron Tumwa saw Tom Derry shake off the attention of Doug Price but he lobbed the ball onto the roof of the net as Vale’s trialist ‘keeper James Montgomery advanced. Montgomery is the grandson of former Sunderland FA Cup winning ‘keeper, Jim.
Carvalho did well down the left before sending over a pin point cross for Davies to head goalwards only for Rovers ‘keeper Jason Mooney to acrobatically tip the ball away for a corner.
Two minutes before the interval Vale fell behind thanks to a defensive error. Price nodded the ball back to Montgomery but the ‘keeper fumbled the ball between his legs and despite tugging back Derry, the Tranmere winger kept to his feet and stroked the ball into the empty net.
Luke Beesley and Osbourne both had shots saved as Vale had most of the play early in the second half but could not find a breakthrough.
minute when Davies poked an effort wide.thVale’s final chance came in the 87
Tranmere R – Mooney, Francis, Tumwa, Ray-Harvey, Boland, C.Morris, Ariyibi, Riley (Newton 46), Stockton, Harris, Derry
Subs not used – Ramsbottom, Maher, Jago, Gumbs
Port Vale – Montgomery, Smith, T.Morris, O’Neill, Price, Bergin, Carvalho, Reeves, M.Davies, Osbourne (Lewis 79), Beesley
Subs not used - Haughton, Clarke
Match Report: Phil Sherwin