Midfielder Highlights Importance Of Fitness After Making His Debut

Sam Kelly insists fitness is more important than results but was delighted with the team’s 3-0 triumph over Newcastle Town.

The game saw the Irishman play his first 45 minutes in a Vale shirt as he started the first half of the win, with Rob Page electing to play an entirely different eleven in each half.

Speaking after the victory at the Aspire Stadium, Kelly said:

“I thought it went well - obviously the first team got the win - but it is just about getting minutes under your belt.

“The winning mentality that the gaffer is trying to install, it gives him chance to see what the players have got and look at the squad.”

The 20-year-old winger believes the new style of play that manager Page is implementing in training is already starting to show on the pitch despite insisting his own position was difficult to play on the Aspire Stadium’s turf.

“The gaffer is trying to install a style of play and that's what we’ve come back to work on.

“I want to play wide left, the pitch made it hard, it wasn't really a wingers pitch but like I said it’s just more important about the minutes and getting them under the belt.”

With back-to-back games against Alsager Town and Kidsgrove Athletic on Tuesday and Wednesday evening, the game was the start of three games in five days, but that is not something that fazes the former Norwich City man.

“The start of the season is coming and getting the minutes under the belt, you have to recover well, they are coming thick and fast.”

After joining from Norwich earlier in the summer, the youngster expressed his delight at how easy it has been fitting in at the club.

“Training is great, I'm having great fun with the lads, getting strides and fitness under my belt.”