Port Vale Stagsnet report by Sweden Stag

[Sweden Stag]

STAGS LOSE THEIR UNBEATEN RECORD BY GOING OUT OF THE LEAGUE CUP

Report by: Svante Bernhard aka Sweden Stag having watched the game on Viaplay in Sweden

Goal: Devine (50).

Attendance: 7432 (1644 from Port Vale

Date: October 31, 2023.

The Stags’ long unbeaten run from the start of the current season (19 games in all competition) came to an end in the fourth round of Carabao Cup = League Cup against Port Vale at One Call Stadium last Tuesday night. The defeat also meant that the Stags missed out on the quarter-finals for the first time since the 1975-76 season and that Port Vale reached the quarters for the first time ever.

To be fair, Port Vale deservedly went through as they were the better side throughout the game while the Stags were below par, especially in midfield. The absence of Lucas Akins was a very huge blow in my opinion.

The good news were that Rhys Oates and Stephen McLaughlin both were on the bench after long-time injuries. Both were to come on in the second half.

From the starting line-ups of the League Two playoff final way back in May 2022, only three players started now. It was Bowery for the Stags, and two Valiants, Smith and Garrity. Two of the then Vale scorers are not around there. Kian Harratt is now at Huddersfield, while Malvind Benning, a good servant for both sides, is now at Shrewsbury and played in their 2-0 defeat at Wigan last Saturday. The scorer of the second Vale goal in the playoff final, James Wilson, is still at Vale but hasn’t played for a few weeks.

Instead, Vale benefitted from some very good loanees from Tottenham, the side Vale famously kayoed in the FA Cup way back in 1988 in front of the TV cameras. Alfie Devine and Ollie Arblaster, both deserving Stagsnet rating 9, were outstanding throughout the game and it was no surprise that Devine were the one who decided the tie in favour of Vale.

As the Stags’ midfield were below par on the night, no real clear-cut chances were created in the first half. Closest came after 31 minutes when Keillor-Dunn volleyed goalwards after a cross from Reed. Vale keeper Ripley made a brilliant save to keep it out for a corner.

Vale had far the better chances. Arblaster hit the post after being pulled clear by Sang on 21 minutes. Ojo headed over the bar on 12 minutes, to name but two of the Port Vale chances.

The Stags were lucky to go in goal-less at the break.

Five minutes into the second half came the breakthrough. Alfie Devine ran from his own half to fire into the bottom half corner from long range, giving Pym no chance.

On 59 minutes, the Stags made a triple change. Out went Maris, Clarke and Swan, none of them having had a good game. In came Gale, Boateng and Oates.

On 61 minutes, Vale could have put the game to bed when Pym turned a shot from Plant wide after that Ikpeazu had hit the bar.

On 69 minutes, the Stags had their best chance of the second half. Oates ran at goal but overran it slightly only to see Ripley parry the shot from close range.

Moments later, the officials, who had a stinker, made a bizarre and very huge mistake. Reed lifted the ball forward to Keillor-Dunn, who controlled the ball but was wrongly flagged offside by assistant referee Natalie Aspinall. However on the far side, Nathan Smith had grippled with Flint (who had a good game) and played Keillor-Dunn onside by ten yards. Incredibly enough, ref Thomas Bramall (with PL and Championship pedigree this season and the last) didn’t realise the error made by Aspinall. Not worthy even in Conf North, so bad was that error. Flint was unmarked and had been in a good position if Keillor-Dunn had found him. In the aftermath of this passage, Flint was booked for berating the assistant ref. Very poor and abysmal refereeing almost as bad as the one in the Newport away game in the playoffs way back in 2019, when Newport then were wrongly awarded a penalty.

On 79 minutes, the impressive Arblaster turned away from his marker and his shot was turned around for a corner.

On 83 minutes, Stephen McLaughlin came on for Macdonald. Port Vale were now timewasting, and the ref had now no grip at all. One Vale sub was yellow-carded for delaying a Stags throw-in. The yellow was the only choice the ref could take in this situation.

Cargill replaced Reed on 89 minutes. Nine minutes of added time was played and Gale missed a few chances at the very end.

The defeat was disappointing but in truth Vale were the better side on the night and deserved to progress.

Man of the match: Lewis Brunt

Stags line-up:

Pym 6 Made some good saves, might have done better by the goal
Bowery 6 Worked hard througout
Flint 6.5 Had a reasonable game. Harshly yellow-carded in the second half
Brunt 7 Had a good game, best Stags player throughout 90 minutes
Macdonald 5 Not as his best
Lewis 5 Didn’t get into the game
Reed 5.5 Involved in the bizarre offside situation in the second half
Maris 5 Not at his best
Clarke 5 Like Maris, not at his best. Got a knock early on.
Swan 5 Did not get into the game, rightly subbed in the second half
Keillor-Dunn 6 Had the Stags’ best chances on the night

Subs:

Oates (for Swan, 59) 6 Looked lively when he came on. Good to see him back.
Gale (for Maris, 59) 5 Missed a few chances in added time
Boateng (for Clarke, 59) 5 Didn’t make any impact
McLaughlin (for Macdonald, 83) – Nice to see him back after being out for a long time
Cargill (for Reed, 90) -

Subs not used: Flinders, Cooper, Johnson, Williams.

Port Vale line-up: Connor Ripley; Jason Lowe, Jesse Debrah (Lewis Cass 90+1), Nathan Smith; Tom Sang, Ben Garrity, Alfie Devine, Funso Ojo, Ollie Arblaster, James Plant, Uche Ikpeazu (Ryan Loft, 63). Subs not used: Jayson Leutwiler, Gavin Massey, Tom Conlon, Jack Shorrock, Rhys Walters, Baylee Dipepa, Josh Thomas.

Referee: Thomas Bramall 4 Very disappointing for being a PL ref, had a stinker. The offside decision by one of his assistant warranted the rating.