Our preparations for the 2026/27 campaign continued on Tuesday afternoon with a 1-1 behind-closed-doors draw against Derby County’s Under-21s.
The Valiants made the perfect start, taking the lead through Ben Waine just seconds into the first half, with Derby equalising mid-way through the second half, to leave Vale with four wins and two draws from six pre-season games.
Jon Brady’s starting XI included summer signing Mason Terry in goal, Academy graduates Miracle Orisakwe and Charlie Bussell in midfield and our latest permanent addition Tyreece Simpson as part of a front two. Derby’s squad, meanwhile, included a number of experienced players.
It was our 2025/26 Young Player of the Season, George Hall, who created the opener, breaking away at pace down the left-hand side before cutting the ball back for Waine to side-foot home inside the first minute.
It would prove to be the only goalscoring opportunity in the first 20 minutes, as the hosts began to settle and Vale - as has been the case throughout pre-season - looking well drilled in defence. The sides then had a chance to regroup, with a Derby player receiving treatment mid-way through the half.
As play resumed, the Valiants almost found a way through again as Orisakwe drove forward from midfield and played an excellent pass towards Simpson, who flicked the ball into Waine’s path, but the Derby defence recovered to clear.
Vale were beginning to control the game and Simpson almost steered a cross home with half an hour on the clock, but was at full stretch and couldn’t quite direct his effort on target. At the other end, Derby’s first attempt deflected behind for a corner which Vale dealt with well.
In hot conditions, Brady’s men closed out what was another positive 45 minutes of work.
The Vale boss introduced Onel Hernandez from the bench for the start of the second half, in place of George Hall.
The second half almost began in the same vein as the first, with Waine nearly profiting from a cut-back - this time from Ryan Croasdale - only to see his shot blocked. Bussell then fired narrowly wide from the edge of the area as Vale started brightly.
Derby did threaten on the counter though shortly after, forcing a good low save from Terry at his near post in their best opportunity until that point.
There was a flurry of changes as the game reached the hour mark, with nine Valiants stepping off the bench to play the final 30 minutes.
The home side had another good chance after a defence-splitting pass, but the forward couldn’t beat Terry from close range, blazing high and wide when one-on-one. Their next chance did result in a goal, though, as the Rams made no mistake to level the scoring from close range.
Vale looked to hit back with the clock ticking down, threatening through Hernandez and then Liam Gordon, with the latter hitting a low shot just wide. Substitute Jordan Gabriel then forced a strong save from the Derby keeper after more good work down the left, but it would finish all square.
Attention now turns to our first competitive fixture of the 2026/27 campaign, against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on Friday evening. A limited number of tickets are still available for the game via our e-Ticketing site.
Port Vale: Terry; John (Gabriel), Moon (Montsma), C. Hall (Humphreys), McGowan (Gordon); Orisakwe (Headley), Croasdale (Walters), Bussell (Byers), G. Hall (Hernandez); Waine (Dempsey), Simpson (Faal).
Pre-season results:
Tamworth W (5-0)
Wigan W (1-3)
Bournemouth U21 D (1-1)
Murcia W (0-1)
Blackpool W (0-1)
Derby U21 D (1-1)
