Despite taking an early lead against Stevenage, the Valiants suffer defeat at the Lamex Stadium.
Jon Brady made three changes from the last side that started a league fixture. This included a first league start for new signings Tyler Magloire and Andre Gray, whilst Jordan Shipley also returned to the starting eleven.
Much like in Vale’s last league game, the Valiants took the lead early on. Eli Campbell raced down the left side and got into the box before firing a low cross across the face of goal, which was turned home by Jayden Stockley to put his side ahead inside ten minutes.
However, Vale’s lead didn’t last long as the hosts drew level ten minutes later. A corner from the right was met by Carl Piergianni, who crashed a header off the post. The ball wasn’t cleared by Vale, and it eventually fell to Dan Phillips, who struck a volley from the edge of the area that took a big deflection before finding the bottom corner.
Five minutes later, the hosts took the lead. Matt Phillips’ low effort was pushed away by Joe Gauci, but Harry Cornick was quickest to the rebound, and he poked home from close range to turn this game on its head. It was a bittersweet moment for the Stevenage number seven as he was stretched off with what was a nasty-looking injury in the aftermath of scoring the goal.
After going behind, Vale looked to hit back instantly. George Hall won the ball in midfield and drove towards goal. He slid the ball to Andre Gray, who was in the box, but his first-time effort was blocked behind for a corner. The resulting corner was taken quickly to Jordan Shipley, who took aim from the left side of the area, but it whistled over the crossbar.
In the first half injury time, the Valiants thought they had levelled the scores as George Hall’s low cross was turned home at the back post by Gray. The referee initially awarded the goal but then, much to the confusion of almost everyone in the Lamex Stadium, ruled it out after being told by the fourth official that Gray had fouled the Stevenage defender in the lead-up to the goal.
Five minutes after the break, Vale worked the ball well down the left as Campbell’s cross was held up by Stockley, who teed up Ethon Archer, but his first-time effort from the edge of the area was well wide of the goal.
On the hour mark, Stevenage came inches away from adding a third as Jamie Reid broke down the right side and sent in a low cross towards Matt Phillips, but Kyle John, who was running towards goal, managed to back-heel the ball away from Phillips before he could get there and the danger was cleared.
The hosts came close again twelve minutes before time as a corner from the left was cleared as far as Reid, who did well to control the ball on his chest before volleying towards goal, but Gauci was on hand to make a good save to his left. The rebound fell to Dan Kemp, who struck an effort towards goal, but Kyle John was once again on hand to clear the danger.
Gauci was again on hand to keep the deficit down as he made a good save after Luther James-Wildin cut inside from the right and hit a powerful shot towards goal.
Vale did have one final chance to grab something from the game in the 94th minute. Eli Campbell’s long throw-in was cleared as far as Jordan Shipley, but he couldn’t keep his effort down and it sailed over the crossbar.
TEAM NEWS:
Stevenage: Filip Marschall, Luther James-Wildin, Carl Piergianni, Harry Cornick (Jamie Reid 33’), Dan Phillips (Jordan Houghton 64’), Saxon Eardley (Dan Sweeney 90+1’), Charlie Goode, Lewis Freestone, Harvey White, Louis Thompson (Dan Kemp 65’), Matt Phillips (Jordan Roberts 65’)
Subs not used: Taye Ashby-Hammond, Phoenix Patterson.
Port Vale: Joe Gauci, Connor Hall, Jayden Stockley (Martin Sherif 51’), Ethon Archer, Kyle John © (Jordan Gabriel 90’), Cameron Humphreys, Jordan Shipley, Eli Campbell, George Hall, Tyler Magloire (Funso Ojo 60’), Andre Gray (Ben Waine 60’)
Subs not used: Ben Amos, Liam Gordon, Grant Ward
