Port Vale (Bruno's Allstars) v Scunthorpe (Iron Maiden)

[leedsvaliant]

Really difficult one to call this. We've started the season OK and have only conceded 1 goal, however we don't look like we've got an abundance of goals in us at the moment. Our only league defeat against Swindon last time out was a close affair by all accounts and we should have got something from the game. At the moment though if we go behind you're never convinced we're going to get back in it. We've also just loaned out one of our forward players and as of this moment we are yet to replace him, so no idea how we will set up on Saturday.

Scunthorpe have started really well as expected and have continued on from the end of last season. They have a good team and a chairman who is obviously aiming for the championship. Van Veen looks a good player and will be a danger no doubt about it. After demolishing Gillingham for 5 they'll also be full of confidence and looking to cement their position near the top (although 4 of those goals were like Sunday league defending). You've got to hope from our perspective that they're tired from 120 minutes in the week and maybe a touch of over confidence after their recent results.

We're pretty strong at home but we'll be very inconsistent until we've got a settled team. I have a feeling we'll get turned over Saturday by a team riding on the crest of a wave maybe 0-2. I'd snatch your hand off for a draw now.

 

[valefan16]

Never beat Scunny but fancy us to nick this 1-0 with our home form over the past year or so... should hopefully have this proven striker signed by then I would hope! Be a tough game though! Draw wouldn't be the end of the world.

 

[Bottega Don]

Could easily be an after the Lord mayor's show performance from us after Saturday.

Port Vale have very good home form so this will be a really tough test, I'd have backed us win for sure at Glanford Park but not away.

 

[MJA]

Looks like Scunthorpe will be up there this season and they have shown everyone how much of a threat they have in the final 3rd. Will be a tough test for what has so far been a strong Vale defensive unit. We are still lacking goals up top which is becoming a bit of a cause for concern as this will ultimately just keep adding pressure onto the defence as the need for clean sheets will be sky high.

I would be content with a point from this one but would be nice if we could pinch all 3

 

[valefan16]

Looks like Scunthorpe will be up there this season and they have shown everyone how much of a threat they have in the final 3rd. Will be a tough test for what has so far been a strong Vale defensive unit. We are still lacking goals up top which is becoming a bit of a cause for concern as this will ultimately just keep adding pressure onto the defence as the need for clean sheets will be sky high.

I would be content with a point from this one but would be nice if we could pinch all 3

Signing at 4... may change that if a decent hitman!

 

[MJA]

Signing at 4... may change that if a decent hitman!

I will stick thanks

 

[MJA]

Vale strike first - big Anton

 

[MJA]

Bruno out!
Smurf out!

 

[valefan16]

Should be winning this but a combination of keeper error and inept refereeing have seen Scunny level. In the Premier League we'd have had two penalties for the most obvious fouls you'll see. Gives them a free kick for a similar offence and goal. Booed off a rightly so. Hopefully we can get back on top and win this as we look decent.

 

[MJA]

I assume you mean the ref was booed off?

 

[valefan16]

Yes had a mare! Scunny have rugby tackled us in the box and he's failed to give it. Just hope we keep our heads up now because we have been much the better side.

 

[MJA]

Yes had a mare! Scunny have rugby tackled us in the box and he's failed to give it. Just hope we keep our heads up now because we have been much the better side.

Best way to keep the ref from influencing a result is to slam one in from distance.

Tavares, 30 yarder to claim the points..........

 

[valefan16]

Tavs gone off injured Amoros came on and looks decent tough. Really really bad goal to let in though. Jak missed it. No idea if it went over the line from my position but should deal with it easily.

 

[MJA]

Get in Jonesy!!!!!

 

[MJA]

Scunthorpe down to 10 men. A case of the tale of 2 halves with regards to the ref?

 

[Buxton Vale]

3-1 looking like an impressive win

 

[MJA]

This is a great 3 points against a side I would expect to be competing in the top 6 this season.

After all of the worries over our attacking options and the negativity from us all regarding the signing of Paterson and it turns out young Alex Jones could be our answer

 

[valefan16]

Easy in the end and justified result in the end. Lol at Graham Alexander blowing his top and one of the most straight forward second yellow I've seen!

Scunthorpe were extremely poor and once down to nine with the injury we got the third passed around for ten minutes and took the points.

 

[MJA]

And you all know what this means don't you fellow Valiants????

Our mis-match squad of foreign players has survived August without being relegated

 

[valefan16]

Early days but improving week on week at the moment

 

[Bottega Don]

Bad day at the office all round.

Horrendous refereeing not helping us, how Thomas didn't walk I'll never know. Their keeper punching our striker in the face and giving a goal kick too was ridiculous.

 

[MJA]

So at half-time Vale fans were upset with the ref and at full-time the Scunny fans were upset with the ref

Well done ref

 

[Rory]

Wow. Decent enough performance from us really, shame about the goal conceded but overall that was positive.

On another note, holy shit that referee was an absolute shambles. Shouldn't be refereeing again. Complete useless arsehole. I think he might have made me ill today.

Scunthorpe were a horrible team. Vile. I hope they fail miserably.

 

[1977Valiant]

A decent performance from Vale today. The movement and the way we played the ball around was very good, we have started to create more opportunities than we have done in previous games and finally started to punish teams.

Forrester's goal was excellent as was Thomas's cross and Jones volley for the 2nd. Then Jones's 2nd goal was also well taken as in years gone by we tended to miss one in one's.

I think Bruno's style of play is much better than Page's "plan A only" and it make a refreshing change for us to play football and keep possession.

I thought Scunthorpe weren't a too bad of an outfit, much better than Southend and Rochdale. I thought they played some decent stuff, but once we got our noses in front there was only going to be one outcome as I couldn't see them getting back in it. I think they will be there or there about's come the end of the season.

Hopefully we can keep up the good start, keep picking up points and come the end of the season we can be the exception to the rule with bringing foreigners in, and prove a lot of people wrong who had already written us off before a ball was even kicked.

 

[Rory]

I also think Scunthorpe will do well to be honest but I hope not. Vile. Did I mention that referee too? Tosser.

 

[MJA]

Was the ref any good today?

 

[Rory]

Was the ref any good today?

No, he was a complete useless toss pot.

 

[Vale on Trent]

Good win and performance. Probably the best we've played this season and we looked more threatening going forward which is nice to see. Also can't fault anyone today, everyone played their part.

Jerome Thomas looked very good and has the extra bit of quality in his locker, something we have missed in previous season. Forrester holds the ball up well and took his goal well. Whilst Jones clearly is a good finisher and is an extra goal threat, even if stuck out wide.

Special mention has to go to our defence this season though. We seem to be able to deal with pressure a lot more than last season.

Not getting carried away though as I think we've had a favourable start in terms of fixtures. Tougher tests will come.

 

[ColB]

.

Not getting carried away though as I think we've had a favourable start in terms of fixtures. Tougher tests will come.

Can't agree with that. At all. Scunny's form has been tremendous and they'll be right up there come the end of the season, of that I have little doubt. Swindon will be in the mix too.

We were superb today and fully deserving of the 3 points. It was a complete team performance but Streete and Thomas stood out. Our front two of Jones and Forrester have bundles of energy, strength and pace, they'll cause any side problems on their day, We're getting better game by game and I think we're already looking a much better side than we were at any time under Rob Page.

The referee as mentioned was absolutely woeful today and must have a Misses that supports Scunthorpe or something. Absolute weapon of the highest order.

 

[MJA]

I wish someone would update us on the referee's performance today (ok I will stop with that joke now)

Great to see all of this positivity flowing from Vale fans. Credit to Bruno and his staff for how they have turned our defensive performances around. Even Jeff Stelling commented on how difficult we have become to score against and without being too cliched, if you don't concede goals you don't lose football matches