Valiants forward says players delighted as they follow up strong performance at Ipswich Town with 2-0 victory against Bristol Rovers.
- Gavin Massey | “We have missed that winning feeling”
- Port Vale forward speaks to the local media following 2-0 victory against Bristol Rovers in League One
- Massey: “We had a big game plan, we knew the first 45 minutes were going to be important and we got the manager’s tactics down to a tee.”
Port Vale forward Gavin Massey spoke about the importance of a strong first-half as Andy Crosby’s side secured a vital 2-0 win in the Vale’s bid to secure League One safety.
Goals from Ellis Harrison and Tom Pett sealed an important victory, which sees the Valiants take a huge step towards confirming third tier status for the 2023/24 season.
Speaking post-match to BBC Radio Stoke, Massey said:
“It’s massive; we have been dying for those three points for a long time and I think that’s carried on from Tuesday night’s performance at Ipswich.
“Today, we got our just rewards, we deserved the three points. We had a big game plan, we knew the first 45 minutes were going to be important and we got the manager’s tactics down to a tee.
“We got the two goals and then second half could have been nervy, but I thought we had real control, when we sat in our shape it was hard to break down, so the points were well-deserved.”
Massey added that, while recent results and performances have been disappointing, the past two matches have shown the Valiants reach levels much closer to their potential.
“I don’t think much has changed from Tuesday,” he explained. “Our shape is good, where everyone can dig in and work hard for each other.
“Results from over the past weeks have been disappointing, but you can see from the last two games the togetherness within the boys and within the camp, we knew what was at stake.
“The last two performances have been massive for the team, you can see everyone dying for the shirt and working hard, we got out just rewards.”
And he also added how important the support of a strong Vale Park crowd was to helping the team record a first victory in nine matches.
“The crowd have seen some dull performances of late,” Massey continued. “They pay their well-earned money to watch us, so when we are not putting in the performances and getting results, they can have their say.
“We knew today how big of a game it was and to have the fans backing us today from minute one until the end was massive for us and that helped us get over the line.
“That winning feeling is something we have missed for a long time.
“This season has been mixed, the start of the season was [good], and the second half has been disappointing, but we wanted to put things right.
“We still have a massive two games left, and the last game of the season is at home, we want to put it right going into the summer.
“The confidence is coming back, you can see it building up with everyone, so we play Charlton and Plymouth, we beat them earlier on in the season, we’ll be looking to finish the season on a high.”