The Valiants welcome Yorkshire side Barnsley to Burslem in the second part of a Vale Park triple header.
Vale won the reverse fixture against the Reds when the two sides met back in September, thanks to goals from Jordan Gabriel and Ryan Croasdale.
We come into Sunday's game following a statement victory over Blackpool on New Year's Day. Five second-half goals from five different players saw the Valiants come from behind to win 5-1.
Post Blackpool Thoughts
Here’s what the interim boss, Jamie Smith, made of Thursday's win:
“Delighted (with the result). We said to the players at the start of the game, treat it as a new season with 24 games to go and 24 games to fight for our lives”.
Our Opponents
Barnsley have spent the last fifteen years between League One and the Championship, but have remained in League One since their relegation from the second tier in 2022. They did reach the League One Play Off final in 2023, but went on to lose in the final to Sheffield Wednesday. The Tykes do have some major silverware in their history, winning the FA Cup in 1912, when they defeated West Bromwich Albion.
The visitors currently sit in 16th position in the league, just two points above the relegation zone. Barnsley began the season well, winning four out of their five opening games, but have failed to capitalise on this, seeing them drop down the table.
They have only won one of their last seven league games and come into Sunday's clash off the back of a 1-1 draw away at Wigan
The Opposition Dugout
Conor Hourihane is the man in charge at Barnsley. This is the thirty-four-year-old's first managerial role following his retirement from playing in 2024. He did have a short spell as Assistant Manager at Barnsley with former Vale boss Darrell Clarke, before taking the role himself when Clarke was sacked. Since being appointed on a permanent basis, Hourihane has won fifteen of his forty matches with a win percentage of 38%.
Conor also had a fruitful playing career before he stepped into management in 2024. He made over 130 appearances for his current employer in his first spell at the club and played a big part in their EFL Trophy success in 2016. Conor then moved to Aston Villa that same summer and went on to make over 150 appearances for them, with 31 of these being in the Premier League.
The former midfielder was also an Ireland international, achieving 36 caps and scoring one goal against Georgia.
Player to Watch
A player for the Vale fans to watch out for is Davis Keillor-Dunn. The 28-year-old has been Barnsley’s most prolific goalscoring outlet so far this season, scoring eleven goals up to this point, making him the league's joint top scorer. This is Keillor’s second season in Yorkshire after he joined from fellow League One side Mansfield Town.
Fixture Throwback
Port Vale 3-1 Barnsley, 13th September 2003
Vale welcomed Barnsley to Vale Park in 2003, coming from a goal down to secure all three points at Vale Park.
The visitors took the lead with eight minutes on the clock when Rory Fallon latched onto a loose pass and slotted the ball into the bottom corner. Vale hit back, however, fifteen minutes later, as Andreas Lipa headed home from close range following a corner from the left-hand side.
The Valiants took the lead ten minutes into the second half at Vale Park. A cross to the back post from the left was met by George Pilkington, who headed the ball into the ground and past the helpless keeper. Adrian Littlejohn put the result beyond any doubt in the 73rd minute when he sat the defender down and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way before firing into the bottom left corner to give Vale the victory.
