The Valiants suffer an opening-day defeat after a 2-0 loss against Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park.
The hosts had the game's first chance when a cross from the right wasn’t dealt with and the ball fell to Mike Fondop who headed over from six yards out.
Vale’s first chance of the game came just before the ten-minute mark when Kyle Dempsey danced his way into the box before setting up Oli Lynch, who dragged his right-footed effort wide.
Vale came close again ten minutes later when Dempsey won the ball in midfield before finding Rhys Walters who turned quickly and played the ball out wide to George Hall. The Vale winger raced down the right side before cutting inside and firing a tame effort straight at Matt Hudson, who was called into action for the first time.
Vale were pushing for the opener, and when Kyle Dempsey’s free-kick was cleared as far as Cameron Humphreys, he recycled the move and found Jaheim Headley, who sent in a cross that fell to George Byers, but his effort was blocked. The rebound fell to Cam Humphreys, who saw his deflected effort go wide. The resulting corner was cleared as far as Jordan Gabriel, who rocketed a low effort agonisingly wide of the upright.
Just after the half-hour mark, it was the hosts who thought they’d taken the lead when Mike Fondop headed home from close range, but he was adjudged to have been offside, and the goal was ruled out.
The hosts had the first effort of the second half when a loose ball fell to Favour Fawumni, who curled a first-time effort well over the crossbar
Oldham took the lead on the hour mark when a well-worked free-kick caught the Vale off guard and Calum Kavanagh finished well from the right side of the area.
Shortly after going behind, Jon Brady made a double change and brought on Mo Faal & Onel Hernandez and changed shape to 4-4-2. Faal nearly made an immediate impact when he cut inside from the left before striking a deflected effort wide of the near post.
In the 73rd minute, the hosts doubled their lead when a cross from the right found Fondop, who struck a weak acrobatic effort towards goal, Cal Kavanagh beat the Vale backline to the ball before turning home from close range.
Vale looked to pull one back as Onel Hernandez broke down the right side, got to the byline before cutting outside and then back inside before striking a low effort that was saved by Matt Hudson down to his right.
Vale had one final chance to halve the deficit in added time when Cam Humphreys met Kyle Dempsey’s corner from the right but his header was straight at Hudson, who made another comfortable save
TEAM NEWS
Oldham Athletic: Matt Hudson, Gus Scott-Morris, Jamie Robson, Donervon Daniels, Keenan Appiah-Forson, Oliver Norburn ©, Mike Fondop (Elliot Nevitt 87’), Calum Kavanagh (Ryan Woods 81’), Kane Drummond, Favour Fawunwi (Tom Pett 87’), Ryan Delaney.
Subs not used: Aston Wilson, Manny Monthe, Noah Chilvers, Lewis Temple.
Port Vale: Jackson Smith, Jaheim Headley (Onel Hernandez 67’), Jordan Gabriel, George Byers © (Mo Faal 67’), Kyle Dempsey, Oli Lynch, Liam Gordon, Lewis Monstma (Connor Hall 72’), Cameron Humphreys, George Hall, George Hall, Rhys Walters.
Subs not used: Mason Terry, Kyle John, Ryan Croasdale, Ben Waine.