REPORT: Port Vale v Birmingham City

Match report from our pre-season game against the Blues

At Vale Park
Pre-Season Friendly
Wednesday 27th July 2016
Port Vale v Birmingham City

Attendance 1,603 including 519 visiting supporters

To late second half goals saw Championship outfit Birmingham City see off Vale in what was at times a bad-tempered affair at Vale Park.

The referee struggled at times to keep control of the game and left it until the second half before producing a yellow card – five of them to be precise.

Once again, Vale looked comfortable on the ball, knocking it about well and halting any threat the visitors posed, although in truth they seldom threatened a well organised Vale defence.

minute but could only lift his shot over Jak Alnwick’s crossbar, but the Vale ‘keeper was called into action a few minutes later.thRobert Tesche had an opportunity in the 9

David Cotterill’s 20 yard free kick tested the Vale ‘keeper, who managed to hold on to the ball at the second attempt after it slipped briefly from his grasp.

At the other end Vale were not making any headway, with Birmingham ‘keeper Adam Legzdins more or less a spectator as Vale, for all their neat football, failed to threaten.

minute when Jerome Thomas was forced to go off and Sam Kelly came off the bench to replace him.thVale made a substitution in the 19

Tempers threatened to flare up on more than one occasion with the referee opted to keep his cards in his pocket, opting instead to try and keep the peace by talking to the players concerned.

minute when JJ Hooper limped off, giving an opportunity Carlos Saleiro to return to the side – his first appearance since Vale’s opening pre-season fixture at Newcastle Town.thVale made a second substitution in the 39

Vale made a third change at the start of the second half with Anthony de Freitas staying in the dressing room to make way from winger Chris Mbamba.

minute, Sam Foley cut inside from the left and hit a shot from 20 yards which the Birmingham ‘keeper just managed to touch over the bar.rdLegzdins finally had a save to make when, in the 53

minute – off went Kjell Knops, Nathan Smith and Paulo Tavares, with Anton Forrester, Francisco Rosa (Kiko) and Calvin Mac-Intosch all coming on.stVale made three changes in the 61

GOAL: nodded home from close range, much to the delight of the visiting supporters behind the goal.Jack Storer minute when Birmingham substitute rdThe visitors went in front in the 73

minute when Ben Purkiss made way to give James Gibbons a run and two minutes later Anthony Grant made way for Sebastien Amoros.thVale made another change in the 77

GOAL: to tuck the spot kick beyond the reach of Jak Alnwick, firing hard and low to the ‘keeper’s right.Paul Caddis minute the visitors were awarded a penaly after the referee spotted an infringement inside the Vale box and up stepped thIn the 84

PORT VALE: Ryan Boot, James Gibbons, Franciso Rosa, Calvin Mac_Intosch, Ryan Lloyd, Sebastien Amoros, Quentin Pereira, Christopher Mbamba, Carlos Saleiro, Anton Forrester, Sam KellySUBS:Jak Alnwick, Ben Purkiss, Kjell Knops, Anthony Grant, Remie Streete, Nathan Smith, Jerome Thomas, Paulo Tavares, JJ Hooper, Sam Foley, Anthony De Freitas.

BIRMINGHAM CITY:: Clayton Donaldson, Diego Fabbrini, Josh Cogley, Reece Brown, Viv Solomon Otabor, Jaques Maghoma, Jonathan Spector, Koby Arthur, Michael Morrison, Tomasz Kuszczak, Jack StorerSUBSAdam Legzdins, Jonathan Grounds, Paul Robinson, Ryan Shotten, Robert Tesche, Stephen Gleeson, David Cotterill, James Vaughan, Andrew Shinnie, David Davis, Paul Caddis.