The Vale will be seeking to kickstart a run in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening when we welcome League One side Sunderland to Vale Park. With the game just a few days away, we look back at times we have taken on the Black Cats.
Past Five encounters with Sunderland: LLLLL
Our last fixture against Sunderland:
Papa John’s Trophy, Stadium of Light, Tuesday 12th January 2021: Sunderland 2-0 Port Vale
Port Vale’s Papa John’s Trophy campaign came to an end at the hands of a defeat at Sky Bet League one side Sunderland, thanks to goals in each half from Aiden O’Brien and Aiden McGeady which saw the Valiants exit the Trophy at the last 16 stage.
The hosts had the first real chance of the game after six minutes, when a teasing free kick from out wide sailed into the box, but Dino Visser was on hand to prevent the ball from creeping into the back of the net.
The Black Cats broke the deadlock in the 21st minute of the game, after Lynden Gooch broke through the middle of the pitch before playing the ball through to Aiden O’Brien inside the box, who placed his effort into the bottom right corner, giving his side the lead.
Lee Johnson’s side almost doubled their lead four minutes into the second-half, as Danny Whitehead’s miscued clearance ended up hitting his own post, before Nathan Smith cleared the ball from any immediate danger.
Tom Conlon’s 56th minute free-kick came close to grabbing Vale an equaliser, when his set piece right to the centre of the box drifted just wide of Remi Matthew’s post.
Cristian Montano was inches away from grabbing a dramatic stoppage time equaliser when his left-footed effort on the angle from the edge of the box drifted just wide of the far corner.
In the last seconds of the game, with Vale throwing everybody forward, Sunderland countered and won a penalty when Dino Visser brought down Aiden McGeady as he was through on goal.
McGeady stepped up and despite Visser getting a hand to the penalty, he despatched his effort into the top left corner.
Sunderland: Matthews, Power, Wright, Willis (Younger 71’), McFadzean, Embleton (Diamond 78’), Neil (Leadbitter 45’), Scowen, O’Brien, Gooch (Wyke 71’), Maguire (McGeady 71’).
Subs not used: Patterson, Dobson.
Port Vale: Visser, Mills, Smith, Legge, Crookes (Fitzpatrick 71’), Conlon, Whitehead (Taylor 56’), Burgess (Cullen 71’), Hurst (20’ Montano), Amoo, Robinson (Pope 71’).
Subs not used: Brown, Brisley.
Classic Encounter:
League Division One, Vale Park, Saturday 23rd August 1997: Port Vale 3-1 Sunderland
The Vale went in front after just three minutes when Allen Tankard sent Andy Porter racing down the left and his cross was powerfully headed home by Lee Mills.
The lead was doubled six minutes before half-time thanks to a Andy Hill pass that was flicked to Tony Naylor by Mills and he hit a swerving left footed shot past Lionel Perez.
The coup de grace came in the 72nd minute when Naylor scored one of the best goals ever seen at Vale Park. Naylor picked the ball up just inside the Sunderland half, back heeled it past defender Andy Melville to take him out of the game, raced forward and then hit a superb curling shot from the edge of the box into the far corner of the net.
Sunderland pulled a goal back in the 76th minute when Kevin Phillips found the net from a corner but Vale were able to see out the game for all three points.
Vale – Musselwhite, Hill, Aspin, Glover, Tankard, McCarthy, Talbot (Stokes 82), Porter, Corden (Bogie 82), Mills, Naylor (Foyle 88)
Sunderland – Perez, Ord, Makin, Melville, Gray, Ball, Byrne (Smith 46), Clark, Aiston (Mullin 71), Quinn, Phillips
Sub not used – Craddock
Att. 8,290