Manager frustrated as the Vale don’t make territory and possession pay in 1-0 defeat at Morecambe.
- Darrell Clarke | “Astonished we found a way to lose the game”
- Port Vale manager speaks to the media following his side’s 1-0 defeat at Morecambe in League One
- Clarke: “It was a really frustrating night because we were hoping to build some momentum from Saturday and we haven’t been able to do that.”
Port Vale manager Darrell Clarke says he was astonished that his side found a way to lose a game they generally dominated at Morecambe on Tuesday evening.
Adam Mayor’s second half goal was the difference at the Mazuma Stadium in what was Morecambe’s only moment of note in the final third, while the Valiants failed to make their territory and significant number of final third entries pay in Lancashire, with Tom Pett coming closest when he fired against the crossbar after Ben Garrity was denied by Morecambe goalkeeper Connor Ripley in a one-v-one.
“I am astonished we found a way to lose that game if I am honest with you. I hoped Saturday would be a platform to build from with the positive result,” Clarke explained.
“We weren’t clinical enough in the final third and we don’t save a shot that we should save, so it’s a frustrating night.
“Ben Garrity has a chance, the keeper makes a save and we let a soft goal in at the other end, with what was really their only shot on target.
“It was a really frustrating night because we were hoping to build some momentum from Saturday and we haven’t been able to do that.”
While frustrated at the manner of the goal the hosts scored, Clarke was keen to stress the collective responsibility for the defeat.
“Stoney [Aidan Stone] is an honest lad, I think he will look back and think he should do better with it. It is not just on Stoney, we have to do better in the final third, we have had so much possession and territory in that game and we haven’t produced the goods at the top end of the pitch so we have to look at ourselves.
“The performance is a good performance apart from putting the ball in the back of the net and that is what we have to do in the final third when you have as much territory and ball as we did. You have to hurt teams and we had ample opportunities to be able to do that and we didn’t take them.”