Port Vale’s Nathan Smith reflects on Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Cambridge United at Vale Park.
- Nathan Smith | “We want to finish this season on a high, and we are keen to set things right”
- Port Vale defender speaks to the media after his side’s 2-0 defeat to Cambridge United
- Smith: “It’s really important now for us to go away, prep and plan properly for this weekend, it could set us in good stead for the end of the season.”
Port Vale defender Nathan Smith cut a frustrated figure as he reflected on the Valiants’ 2-0 defeat to Cambridge United on Saturday afternoon.
Goals from Sam Smith and Lloyd Jones secured all three points for the visitors and the Vale’s number six said the players take responsibility for the performance and are determined to put it right over the Easter weekend.
“It’s another game where we come away with disappointment, frustration, and we’ve only got to look at the lads that were out there on that pitch,” said Smith. “It’s 11 vs 11, we’ve come away with another defeat against a team that’s below us.
“It’s been a frustrating few weeks where results aren’t quite going our way, but as a group of players we are hungry to set things right and end the season on a high, like it started.
“It’s only you out there that can win the game, and the people that have been chosen, it’s up to them to get a result.”
Vale have responded to setbacks over the course of this campaign and Smith said the dressing room still has the desire push on as the season comes to a close.
“We pride ourselves on being able to win no matter what the circumstances, the weather, the team, the style of play, and I don’t think that’s an excuse, I just think it was a below average performance, and we thoroughly deserved to lose.
“We have just spoken in the dressing room, as a group of players we are hungry, we want to finish this season on a high, and we are keen to set things right.
“I don’t think there are any players in there that think it’s time to put your flip flops on and end the season.
“You want to win every game, there’s nobody in there that wants to lose at anything we do, we’re going to take it one game at a time and try and get as many points as possible.”
Vale don’t have to wait long to put things right, with two games in four days on the cards over the Easter weekend, and Smith explained it’s imperative the players respond in the right way.
“It is two games in four days and they come thick and fast. It’s about who can recover right, who can prepare right, a bit of momentum in them games and you start steam rolling forward again.
“It’s really important now for us to go away, prep and plan properly for this weekend - it could set us in good stead for the end of the season.”