A mix of First Team players and Academy scholars featured as we advanced in the Staffordshire Senior Cup with a professional performance against Hanley Town at Vale Park.
Despite controlling a large part of the first half, significant chances did not fall to the Valiants much in the opening 30 minutes, with respective pot shots from Charlie Bussell and Maleace Asamoah saved well from Shorthouse in the Hanley goal.
It was Academy graduate Bussell who eventually opened the scoring when he picked up a loose ball on the edge of the area, which he controlled and curled a right-footed effort into the bottom right corner to give Vale the lead.
Three minutes later, winger Maleace Asamoah used his pace to beat multiple Hanley defenders to send him through on goal. His shot may have been heading off target, but it deflected itself back in the visitors net to double the lead.
Aaron McGowan, who began the night as captain, completed 45 minutes as he was replaced by Tomasi Wara at the interval.
Half chances was all that was there to feed on in the majority of the second half, with Oli Fraser using his strength well to generate a chance on the edge, and Karl Agnero receiving a chance similar to Bussell’s in the first half, the former saved and the latter just wide.
Lewis Monstma, who played the entire match, saw a header from a corner cleared off the line well to deny us a third that would have seen the game out of distance.
The visitors were impressive in the final 20 minutes, generating a number of chances that could have threatened our lead. A missed chance from a cross from close range was the warning sign before Kyle Stubbs delivered a cross to Kieran Brown who headed well past Smith to reduce the deficit.
15-year-old Harvey Griffiths came on for Jackson Smith for the final few moments, a great moment for the youngster.
The game should have been killed off when Asamoah ran through on goal, but his attempted shot into the corner rebounded off the post.
Academy scholar Wesley Jonathan Jose eventually got the third with just a minute to go when he rifled a shot off his left foot off the bar and in from outside the box, a strong way to cap off the game.
We now advance to Round 3 of the Staffordshire Senior Cup.
Port Vale XI: Jackson Smith (Harvey Griffiths 88’), Aaron McGowan © (Tomasi Wara 45’), Oli Fraser, Sagesse Yalala, Lewis Monstma, Charlie Bussell, Clayton Malbon (Marvin Owen 88’), Karl Agnero (Wesley Jonathan Jose 64’), Tom Scragg (Eddie Lake 70’), Maleace Asamoah, Ollie Cook.
Subs not used: N/A
Hanley Town: Michael Shorthouse, Joe Minshall, Lucas Sant, Corey Muirhead, Joel Stair © (Kieran Lazenby 62’), Kyle Stubbs, Fin Pattison (Hartley Barratt 23’), Will Arnold, Lewis Porter, Callum Middleton (Kieran Brown 69’), Devante Ramsay
Subs not used: Reece Jones, Jake Twyford