First-half goals from Martin Sherif and Jordan Gabriel secure a 2-1 win at Edgeley Park against Play-Off chasing Stockport County in our final away game of the season.
Jon Brady made six changes to his side following Saturday’s defeat against Plymouth Argyle. Ben Garrity returned to captain the side with George Byers and Ben Heneghan named amongst the substitutes as they returned from injury.
Vale shot out of the blocks and took the lead inside five minutes. Ben Waine broke down the left side before firing in a pinpoint low cross towards Martin Sherif, who beat his man to the ball and poked home at the near post to grab his second goal in Vale colours.
The hosts, who had to get at least a point to secure a play-off position, had their first meaningful effort of the game in the 15th minute when Jack Diamond drove towards the Vale defence before dragging an effort wide from the edge of the area. Two minutes later, a corner from the right was cleared as far as Odin Bailey, who struck a low effort towards goal, but it was straight at Joe Gauci who made his first save of the evening.
Vale’s lead was doubled against the run of play in the 23rd minute when Jordan Gabriel won the ball in the attacking third before cutting inside from the right and curling an exquisite effort into the bottom corner, leaving Corey Addai with no chance in the Stockport goal.
Despite being two goals down, the hosts continued to dominate the ball and had two good opportunities to pull a goal back in quick succession. On the half-hour mark, a deep cross was headed onto the roof of the net by Adama Sidibeh at the back post. Moments later, Diamond came close again as he broke into the Vale box before slicing an effort wide from the right side of the area.
The hosts were sloppy in position and kept handing Vale possession in midfield. Ben Waine won the ball in the middle of the park and looked to be in behind before he was pulled down by Che Gardner on the edge of the area. The Stockport wing-back was probably to escape with just a booking as he was deemed not to have been the last man back. From the resulting free-kick, George Hall whipped a curled effort just wide of the upright.
Eight minutes before the break, Vale came close again as a cross was cleared as far as Ben Waine, who saw his volley blocked; the rebound fell to Ben Garrity, who forced Addai into a full-stretch save as he tipped the Vale captain’s effort around the post.
As the game entered two minutes of injury time, Ollie Norwood lined up a free-kick from the left side, but it was well over the crossbar and never troubling the Vale backline.
Former Barcelona youngster Louie Barry was a half-time addition for the hosts, and he looked to make an immediate impact as he cut inside onto his right foot before ballooning an effort well over the crossbar from the edge of the area.
Moments later, Ollie Norwood and Jack Diamond played a nice one-two on the edge of the box, which allowed Diamond to take aim from a tight angle, but his effort from the right side was straight at Gauci, who saved comfortably.
Ethon Archer replaced Ben Waine and the Vale winger came close ten minutes after the break as he cut inside onto his right foot before striking a low effort straight at Addai, who made a routine save at his near post.
The hosts came close, halving the deficit in the 67th minute when second-half sub Benony Andresson worked space for a shot from the right side. His low effort took a deflection and looked goal-bound, but Tyler Magloire came across and cleared it off the line.
Stockport’s Icelandic forward came close again eight minutes later when he met Odin Bailey’s cross with a header that looped over the crossbar. Cameron Humphreys did just enough to get his body in the right position and prevent Andresson from getting a solid contact.
Vale were backs to the wall as they looked to preserve their lead but did have a rare foray forward as Onel Hernandez had space and time down the right as he raced into the area and cut outside and then back inside before being tackled at the final moment. However, the loose ball was almost poked into the back of the net by a Stockport defender, but Addai did well to readjust as he clawed it off his line.
Ethon Archer was Vale’s out-ball as he looked to provide the attacking danger. Once again, he cut inside from the left but struck an effort straight at the Stockport keeper.
The hosts' pressure had finally paid off when they pulled a goal back in the 86th minute. A nice through ball found Odin Bailey, who cut inside from the right before curling a left-footed effort into the top corner to set up a nervy last few minutes at Edgeley Park.
As the referee added four minutes of added time, Louie Barry cut inside before beating two players and just had looked to shoot, he was brilliantly tackled and the Vale backline were able to clear the danger as they had done all evening.
TEAM NEWS
Stockport County: Corey Addai, Jack Diamond (Benony Andresson 64’), Malik Mothersille (Louie Barry 45’), Ethan Pye, Kyle Wooton, Ben Osborn, Ollie Norwood ©, Odin Bailey, Josh Stokes (Tayo Edun 45’), Adama Sidibeh (Onel Hernandez 64’), Che Gardner (Christy Grogan 45’).
Subs not used: Ben Hinchcliffe, Tanto Olaofe.
Port Vale: Joe Gauci, Jordan Gabriel, Ben Garrity ©, Rhys Walters (Ryan Croasdale 87’), Liam Gordon, Ben Waine (Ethon Archer 45’), Martin Sherif (George Byers 87’), Cameron Humphreys, Grant Ward (Ben Heneghan 75’), George Hall (Onel Hernandez 45’), Tyler Magloire.
Subs not used: Ben Amos, George Byers, Jack Shorrock.