Port Vale secured their third consecutive win on Saturday as they also extended their unbeaten run to five games with their biggest win of the season over Colchester United in what Scott Brown labelled their best performance of the season.
That feeling of the Vale performing at their best was echoed by manager John Askey, who expressed how he feels every player on the pitch showed exactly what they are capable of.
Brown highlighted just how well the Vale were able to control the game from the off, saying how good the football they played was in what was difficult conditions with heavy wind and rain.
Vale’s number one, who claimed his 10th league clean sheet of the season, credited the management staff for their continued work in organising the side with three players missing due to suspension and exhibiting the strength in depth on offer.
The gaffer also expressed his pleasure in how well they coped with the missing players, adding how every time someone has been called upon this season they’ve performed well and taken their opportunity.
Brown said: “That was probably our best performance of the season, from start to finish we controlled a really good Colchester United team, played some really good football, right from the start I thought we were the better team and the main difference was we played the conditions a lot better than they did.”
Askey echoed: “A really good performance, probably as good a performance as we’ve had all season for the whole 90 minutes, we showed in spells previous to that we’ve got the capabilities of playing well but for the whole 90 minutes I thought it was an excellent performance by every player.”
Brown stated: “A lot of credit’s got to go to the management staff, at the start of the season we perhaps didn’t have the biggest budget in the league but the gaffer’s put together a great squad and it just shows you don’t need a massive budget.”
Askey added: “You wouldn’t have known that [we were missing players] today, throughout the season, whoever’s been missing, players have come in and done a really good job for us.”
A key message both Brown and Askey shared was how they must not get carried away now they have climbed into the Play-Off positions, as there is still a lot of work to do and maintaining focus is essential.
The Vale made it 11 goals in their past five games at on Saturday, and the gaffer picked out both goal scorers for their performances, stating how he believed Tom Conlon was at his best in the game and commended Mark Cullen for showcasing his finishing ability.
The impressive run of form, which has seen the Valiants secure 13 points from their last 15 available, has resulted in the players being full of confidence according to Brown, who is looking forward to Saturday’s short trip to Walsall.
Askey also pointed out the confidence amongst the squad ahead of what will be a tough game against a side whose form has recently picked up, but emphasised how much of an impact the travelling Vale support will have on the players as they look to secure another three points.
Brown said: “We’re delighted to be there [Play-Off positions] but we still know there’s a massive 12 games to go and before you know it, it’ll be 10 games and the countdown will really be on so we know what we need to get in the Play-Offs and that’s been our aim right from the start.”
The gaffer said: “It’s great that we have so much competition, Tom Conlon has as good a game as I’ve seen him play, nice to see Mark Cullen come back in, obviously had a bit of a frustrating season but we all know what a good player and a good finisher he is.
“It’ll [Walsall] be a tough fixture, they’ve picked up of late but we’re going to have a really good following going there and it’s another really good game to play in, obviously the players are confident, not too over confident, but we’re in a great position and just look forward to every game now.”