A dominant Vale performance earns Darren Moore’s side a place in the Round of 16 of the Vertu Trophy after a 5-0 victory over Barnsley.
Ruari Paton got Vale off to the best possible start when he scored a quickfire brace to give Vale a two-goal lead inside ten minutes. Vale’s domination continued in the second half when Dajaune Brown, Ben Waine and Jesse Debrah capped off an excellent performance from the Valiants.
Darren Moore made nine changes to his side after Saturday’s loss at Lincoln. This included returns to the side for George Byers and Ben Waine, who made his first start since September.
The Valiants shot out of the traps and made a very bright start to the game. George Byers struck the bar in the second minute when the ball fell to him on the edge of the area.
Three minutes later, Vale deservedly took the lead in the 5th minute when a cross from the left fell to Ruari Paton on the edge of the box, who found the far corner with an excellent curled effort.
Two minutes later, Paton doubled his own and his side's goal tally when he did well to bring down Kyle John’s through ball before cutting inside and thundering a strike into the bottom corner.
Barnsley were shellshocked and looked to get back into the game instantly. In the 12th minute, an in-swinging corner from the left was headed goal-wards by Caylan Vickers by Ben Amos was on hand to preserve his side's two-goal lead.
In the 16th minute, Vale came close to a third goal. Connor Hall’s cross from the right was met by the diving head of Mo Faal, but it was just wide of the near post.
Vale were full of confidence, and this showed when a lovely bit of skill on the byline by Mo Faal, who chopped inside and sent Jack Shepherd the wrong way. As he got into the box, the loose ball fell to Paton, who saw his effort blocked before Brown’s scissor kick went well wide of goal.
Ben Waine came agonisingly close to adding a third three minutes before the break. Ruari Paton found him on the left side of the box, and the forward cut inside and looked for the far corner, but his effort just went the wrong side of the post.
On the brink of half-time, the visitors came close to halving the lead as a corner from the left was met by Vimal Yoganathan, but his glancing header was well wide of the goal.
Much like the first half, Vale began the second half on the front foot. Once again, Mo Faal danced his way into the box but was tackled just before he could get a shot away. Soon after, the ball fell to Jaheim Headley on the edge of the area, who chanced his luck, but it was comfortable for Murphy Cooper in the Barnsley goal.
On the hour mark, Ben Waine had a great chance to add a third when he met Paton’s low free-kick, but his first-time effort was ballooned over from close range.
Soon after, Barnsley came close to grabbing a goal when second-half sub Patrick Kelly raced forward and got into the box before finding Neil Farrugia, who forced a good save from Amos. The visitors were piling on the pressure, and they came close again as a through ball found Tennai Watson, whose effort beat Ben Amos, but Jesse Debrah was on hand to clear off the line.
After weathering a brief Barnsley storm, Vale had a chance of their own when Ben Waine cut inside from the left side and got onto his right foot before firing a low effort straight at the Barnsley keeper, who gathered comfortably.
Vale needed a third goal to really seal the deal, and that came with twenty minutes to go and what a goal it was! Mo Faal picked up the ball on halfway and played an excellent cross-field ball to Dajaune Brown, who plucked the ball out of the air before driving into the box and comfortably slotting past the keeper, who went the wrong way.
With twelve minutes to go, Vale really should have added a fourth as Mo Faal won the ball high up the pitch before cutting back to Funso Ojo, who let the ball run into the path of Ronan Curtis. He rounded the keeper, but then couldn’t beat the Barnsley defender on the line, who cleared the danger.
A fourth goal was added with ten minutes to go. Cameron Humphreys raced forward and found Ben Waine on the left side. He cut onto his right foot and unleashed a venomous strike into the top corner to score his first goal for the club.
But Vale didn’t stop there! A fifth goal was added three minutes later. A corner from the left wasn't cleared properly and caused chaos in the Barnsley box, but as Neil Farrugia cleared, the ball cannoned off Jesse Debrah and flew into the top corner. Even though he didn’t know much about it, he still ran off in celebration as he sealed his side's place in the Round of 16 of the Vertu Trophy.
TEAM NEWS:
Port Vale: Ben Amos, Jaheim Headley, Connor Hall (Ben Heneghan 60), George Byers © (Funso Ojo 60’), Dajaune Brown, Rhys Walters (Ryan Croasdale 74’), Ruari Paton (Ronan Curtis 69’), Ben Waine, Jesse Debrah, Kyle John (Cameron Humphreys 45’), Mo Faal.
Subs not used: Marko Marosi, Jordan Shipley.
Barnsley: Murphy Cooper, Marc Roberts, Jack Shepherd, Mael De Gevigney, Caylan Vickers (Patrick Kelly 53’) David McGoldrick (Davis Keillor-Dunn 52’), Reyes Cleary (Neil Farrugia 52’), Tennai Watson, Jonathan Bland, Vimal Yoganathan (Adam Phillips 45’), Luca Connell © (Jon Russell 69’)
Subs not used: Keiren Flavell, Jake Rooney.
