Match Preview - Port Vale v Rovers

17 April 2022

Gas look to back up Salford win as we prepare to take on Port Vale on Easter Monday!

Rovers return to action on Easter Monday as they travel to the Potteries to take on Port Vale in a crunch promotion encounter. Both teams won on Good Friday; Rovers 1-0 win over Salford was mirrored by a single-goal win for Vale at Hartlepool. Read up ahead of Monday's clash below!

Form Guide

Darrell Clarke's side has been there or thereabouts for most of the season, but they have found a fine run of recent form to move into the automatic places. The Valiants have won eight and drawn one of their last nine games and are looking to close the gap on leaders Forest Green Rovers. Vale currently find themselves in third place in League Two, with 75 points from 42 games.

Danger Men

This season, Port Vale's main goal threat has been from a three-pronged attack of Jamie Proctor, James Wilson and Ben Garritty. All three are in double figures, with Proctor's 12 goals so far just nudging ahead of Wilson and Garritty, with eleven apiece.

Bradley Walker has picked up 13 yellow cards in 28 games from midfield.

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Jamie Proctor of Port Vale

Last Time Out

Rovers lost 2-1 in the rain in December to Port Vale. Sam Finley was shown a straight red card in the 15th minute and Cian Harries joined him for an early bath as we finished with nine men. Aaron Collins scored our goal in the second half.

Ref Watch

Craig Hicks is in charge of Monday's fixture at Vale Park - and he was also the man in the middle for the return fixture at The Mem, showing Sam Finley a straight red card and dismissing Cian Harries in the second-half. This will be Hicks' 30th game of the campaign, and his 12th in League Two. He has produced 90 yellow cards (an average of 3.10 per game) and five red cards. Hicks also averages 24 fouls every game.

Betting Preview

EFL sponsors Sky Bet have priced Rovers at 13/5 for the win on Monday afternoon. Rovers can also be backed at 18/1 to win the game 2-0. On the goalscorer markets, Connor Taylor is priced at 18/1 to open the scoring on his return to the Potteries region, whilst Harry Anderson can be backed at 7/1 to score any time throughout the clash.

Odds correct at the time of writing. To bet with Sky Bet please click HERE. Please bet responsibly.

Match Reports

Match Report - Port Vale 1-3 Rovers

18 April 2022

Rovers are victorious at Vale Park in a game which saw James Connolly and Ryan Loft both score their first goals for the club!

Antony Evans returned to the starting line-up ahead of the clash at Vale Park with Sam Nicholson dropping to the bench.

The Gas suffered an early setback in the game. James Wilson's cross deflected off Jamie Proctor and past a helpless Belshaw to give the Valiants an early one-nil lead at Vale Park despite cries for offside from the Rovers players.

Connor Taylor was shown the first caution of the tie just past the eighth minute. after a crunching challenge on James Wilson. It took the Gas only minutes to draw level. A precise pass from Captain Paul Coutts found Elliot Anderson who made no mistake with his finish, firing hard and true past Stone in the roof of the Vale net.

The Gas took the lead for the first time in the game 10 minutes before the break. An enticing Antony Evans corner goes all the way to the back post where James Connolly was on hand to bundle the ball home for his first Rovers goal.

The home side put the Gas under pressure at the start of the second half. Benning tried to work an angle to put the ball into the box. The winger was expertly tracked by Luca Hoole who managed to squeeze the ball out for a corner kick to the hosts.

A David Worrall cross fell kindly to Mal Benning inside the Rovers penalty area. The Vale No.11 looked to fire a powerful effort towards the goal but was swarmed by the Rovers defenders and Connor Taylor threw himself in front of the goalbound effort where it bounced behind for a corner kick.

A neat turn from James Wilson presented substitute Dan Jones with a chance to run at goal. Belshaw was quick off his line to close down the Vale attacker and Jones' poked effort rolled behind for a goal kick to the Gas.

The first Rovers changes were introduced with just under 10 minutes left to play. Nick Anderton replacing Antony Evans and Ryan Loft coming on for Aaron Collins.

The final Rovers change saw Paul Coutts replaced by Glenn Whelan as the Gas looked to see the game out.

Ryan Loft finished the tie deep into added time. A superb Sam Finley ball played in the striker who lofted his finish over Stone in front of the ecstatic 2,222 travelling Gasheads for his first goal for the club.

The win keeps the Gas in the hunt for the automatic play-off places and face league leaders Forest Green Rovers in our double-header on Saturday, 23rd April where our women's team will play immediately after at The Mem.

PORT VALE: Stone, Hall, Smith (c), Worrall, Garrity, Wilson, Benning, Proctor, Martin, Taylor, Charsley.

Subs: Holy, Jones, Hussey, Amoo, Robinson, Harratt, Edmondson.

ROVERS: Belshaw, Hoole, Grant, Connolly, Taylor, Finley, Coutts (c), Evans, E Anderson, Collins, H Anderson.

Subs: Ward, T Clarke, Nicholson, Whelan, Loft, Anderton, Thomas.

Referee: C Hicks

Attendance: 10,840 (2,222 away)

Ticket News

Ticket Info - Port Vale

24 February 2022

Ticket information for our clash with Port Vale in April.

Rovers travel to Vale Park on Monday, 18th April (3pm KO).

Seats for this fixture are UNRESERVED.

Online ticket sales will open to 2021/2022 Season Ticket holders from 10am on Monday, 28th February. In-store ticket sales will be available for Season Ticket holders from 10am on Tuesday, 1st March. Please be aware, Season Tickets holders are only permitted to purchase one ticket per membership.

Members (Club members and Supporters Club members) will be able to purchase tickets online and in-store from 10am on Wednesday, 2nd March. Please note, members are only able to purchase one ticket per membership.

Subject to availability, general sale tickets will then be available online and in-store from 10am on Friday, 4th March.

The club would like to remind fans that tickets aren't available to purchase from the club shop on matchdays.

The initial allocation of tickets for this fixture is 1,070.

To purchase online tickets, please click HERE.

Ticket prices can be found below;