Port Vale manager reflects on his side’s 2-1 win at Derby County in Sky Bet League One.
- Darrell Clarke | “A good day for our football club, our owners and our tremendous fanbase”
- Port Vale manager on his side’s win at Derby County, the performances of Ellis Harrison and James Wilson and ‘tremendous’ sold out away following of 2,700 Valiants
- Clarke: “You have to come back and get back in games and the mentality of the team was very good today. I thought Ellis Harrison and James Wilson were absolutely outstanding and gave us a good foothold in the game and both deservedly got on the scoresheet.”
Port Vale manager Darrell Clarke says the Vale’s 2-1 win at Derby County was a good day for the club’s supporters, owners and fanbase as goals from Ellis Harrison and James Wilson sealed the win at Pride Park on an afternoon on which the hosts had gone ahead through a James Collins strike on five minutes.
Reflecting post-match, Clarke said:
“It was an entertaining game; a few decisions went our way today and we managed to capitalise on it.
“I think after last week against Sheffield Wednesday, we have to play without fear against some of the bigger teams in the league and we came here, didn’t get off to a great start, and then we got a little bit of a foothold in the game within the first 20 minutes and they then looked dangerous on the counter, they have some good players.
“We then got the penalty, missed the penalty and you start thinking it is not going to be our day but the lads have shown it over a period of time that they have a lot of character about them and we needed that today.
“It is a good day for our football club, a good day for our owners who have put a lot of money and effort into the football club and then to see our tremendous fanbase fill out the away end.
“The support today was absolutely outstanding – even when we were 1-0 down, our fans sang louder, and we thank them for their support and wish them a safe journey home.”
Discussing his goalscorers, Clarke said the duo were exemplary in the way they led the line for his side.
“You have to come back and get back in games and the mentality of the team was very good today,” he said.
“I thought Ellis Harrison and James Wilson were absolutely outstanding and gave us a good foothold in the game and both deservedly got on the scoresheet.
“They are two good players; Willo takes a few games to get up to speed but when he does we know he is a cracking player. He gives me more than just goals, he is very clued in with and without the ball. Ellis was a battering ram today; he won so many first contacts, took so many knocks and kicks and our fans will be very appreciative of that because they love an old-fashioned number nine and he is certainly performing very well in the first quarter of the season.”