Defender reflects as the Vale kick off 2023 with 3-1 win at Forest Green Rovers.
- Nathan Smith | “We stuck to the gameplan and got deserved win”
- Port Vale defender assesses his side’s New Year’s Day win at Forest Green Rovers in League One
- Smith: “We didn’t start the best, got punished for it but ground them down in the end and come out with the three points, which was probably deserved after the control we had in the game.”
Port Vale defender Nathan Smith says his side deserved their victory at Forest Green Rovers on New Year’s Day as Darrell Clarke’s side left it late to secure victory in Gloucestershire.
Goals from game-changing substitutes Mipo Odubeko and Dennis Politic came either side of Ellis Harrison’s penalty to give the Vale the win at the New Lawn, with the latter two goals coming in 14 minutes of additional time following a significant delay in play after Lewis Cass was stretchered off after an awkward fall.
Reflecting post-match with iFollow the Vale, Smith said his side were rewarded for sticking to the gameplan after going behind inside two minutes.
“No matter how they come, the aim before the game was to come here and get three points and look ahead to the New Year,” Smith explained.
“We didn’t start the best, got punished for it but ground them down in the end and come out with the three points, which was probably deserved after the control we had in the game.
“No matter who you play, when you go a goal behind so early on it gives them a boost and gives you a mountain to climb but credit to the lads, we stuck to the gameplan, we knew we were going to try and control the game a little bit more than we usually do and we ground them down and come out with three good goals and three points.
“We knew coming into the game that the pitch was a bit boggy, the weather would blow a gale, rain would come and at times it would be a battle, and we were ready for that after the first ten minutes, a little blip but something we can’t make a habit of doing – starting slowly and giving teams a foothold in the game.”
Smith himself contributed to Vale’s late attacking surge, finding himself out on the right wing supporting link ups with Gavin Massey, and he said he felt the goals were coming for Clarke’s side.
“It was nosebleed stuff,” he added of his position high up the pitch. “But it was enjoyable, trying to get the ball up the pitch, get the ball in the box and cause havoc and that is what we did as a team towards the end of the game.
“It felt like it was coming; we perhaps didn’t have as many chances created as we would have liked from the amount of possession, but we felt it was coming, they were sitting off us, were there to be beat and we came away with three good goals.”