Full time report from Official site

PORT VALE 3 (Sonner 24, Constantine 27, Togwell 73)

BARNSLEY 2 (Burns 55, Carbon 66)

A BARNSTORMING second half comeback by the Reds was left in ruins after a fortunate deflection gave Sam Togwell a winning goal and Vale all three points

Reds boss Andy Ritchie handed a debut to Barnsley-born Paul Heckinbottom as his defensive crisis eased at Vale Park. Matt Carbon and Bobby Hassell returned to training late this week and came straight into the back four and there was also a place up front for Marc Richards with Paul Hayes dropping to the bench.

Dale Tonge, Robbie Williams and Paul Reid were also missing from the side that beat Gillingham at Oakwell on Tuesday night through injury and suspension as the Reds looked to build on a run of just one defeat in 17 matches in all competitions.

After a low key opening Tommy Wright almost powered the Reds into the lead on two minutes as he outfought the Vale defence before playing the ball back for Martin Devaney but the winger saw his low shot kicked away by Craig James.

Wright then went close to bagging his first goal for the club on five minutes as he first saw a header from Chris Shuker's cross well cleared away and then nodded over second later after Hassell had swung the ball back into the danger area.

At the other end former Chesterfield midfielder Mark Innes had Vale's best chance of a stuttering opening from the home side on eight minutes when he volleyed well wide from 25 yards after Hassell's header had dropped just outside the box.

Barnsley were rampant and a flying Devaney made the home defence look statuesque on nine minutes as he breezed past three challenges before bringing a fine save from Mark Goodlad.

A quick break by Leon Constantine almost caught the Reds out at the other end on eleven minutes but Heckingbottom showed great pace and composure to slide in with a great last ditch tackle.

The Reds were almost caught out again on 15 minutes as Sam Togwell found a great pass through the heart of the Barnsley back line and Michael Husbands managed to run in on goal but Nick Colgan stood up well to make a great save.

Wright thought he had won a penalty on 18 minutes as he tumbled under a challenge from Clayton Fortune at the near post but the referee waved away his half hearted appeals for a spot kick.

Barnsley were undone on 24 minutes through their own adventurous start to the game as Husbands shrugged off a challenge on the half way line to race clean through at Colgan. The striker took his time and found a perfect pass out to Danny Sonner, who slotted the ball easily into the net.

It got even worse on 27 minutes as abdominal defending by the Reds allowed Leon Constantine the chance to beat a poor offside trap to run onto Sonner's pass and in on Colgan again. The striker's shot was woeful but a horrendous error by Colgan allowed his weak shot to trickle under his body and through to goal.

Husbands again went close to a goal on the half hour after Barnsley had again failed to clear a bouncing ball but the striker's acrobatic effort flew wide of the target.

Barnsley finally got their game back on track on 38 minutes after Wright had managed to get his head onto Jacob Burns' free kick. Goodlad managed to save his effort but it was just the kick in the backside the Reds needed. Burns then went close himself a minute later when he hammered a rising volley inches over the top.

Surprisingly, Ritchie stood by his starting eleven at after the break and resisted making changes to the side that stumbled in the first half although Hassell and Neil Austin switched places at the back. The Reds went close to pulling one back on 47 minutes as Wright rose highest to get his head to Shuker's cross but his effort bounced through to Goodlad.

The breakthrough finally came on 55 minutes as Burns picked up Shuker's pass 25 yards from goal and hammered a low drive past Goodlad's despairing dive and into the bottom corner.

The levelled eventually arrived from the most unlikely source on 66 minutes after Wright had brought a point blank save from Goodlad from Devaney's great cross. The ball bounced free and Carbon lashed a right footed shot into the roof of the net.

A minute later Paul Hayes raced free of the Vale defence and found Devaney again in space. This time the winger played in Stephen McPhail, who saw his shot blocked clear. The ball again fell loose and this time Burns hit an effort high over the top.

Vale grabbed a third completely against the run of play on 73 minutes as Michael Cummins shot looked to be heading for the corner flag before it struck Togwell's outstretched leg and deflected past Colgan and into the bottom corner.

Austin and substitute Brian Howard went close from distance as the Reds piled on looking for another equaliser before Hayes saw a decent looking near post header deflect over the top on 82 minutes.

Nathan Lowndes almost stole a fourth for Vale again totally against the flow of the game on 84 minutes as he tested Colgan from 20 yards. A minute later Daniel Nardiello had a great chance to level things up again on 86 minutes as he turned well in the area before shooting straight at Goodlad from ten yards.

At the other end a ragged Barnsley defence was almost out numbered on 88 minutes as Sonner got in and crossed but Constantine managed to put his effort wide of the target.

PORT VALE: Goodlad, Pilkington, James, Sonner, Fortune, Cummins, Abbey, Innes (Doherty 68), Constantine, Husbands (Lowndes 68), Togwell.

Subs: Brain, Bell, Holmes.

BARNSLEY: Colgan, Hassell, Heckingbottom, Carbon, Burns (Howard 78), McPhail, Austin, Shuker, Richards (Hayes 55), Devaney, Wright (Nardiello 74).

Subs: Flinders, Atkinson.

 

"A BARNSTORMING second half comeback by the Reds"

hehe ff

 

thank-you

 

Was this actually a cross

<font color="#990000">Vale grabbed a third completely against the run of play on 73 minutes as Michael Cummins shot looked to be heading for the corner flag before it struck Togwell's outstretched leg and deflected past Colgan and into the bottom corner.</font> </p>

Sounds like one to me.</p>

 

"abdominal defending"

nope, no idea - a technical term obviously!

 

Report, words that stand out are......... 'poor offside trap'

I wonder why ???
Try putting these 3 words in a sentence that makes sense
Barnsley.........Settled.........Defence

 

"Reds boss Andy Ritchie handed a debut to Barnsley-born Paul Heckinbottom"

Heckinbottom? Thats not right, is it?</p>

 

"The levelled eventually arrived from the most unlikely source on 66 minutes"

The levelled?

 

I can't be bothered with the rest....

they are there for all to reid.......yes. Reid. FFS!

 

defence with no stomach?

or too many pies at xmas??