Match Report: Aldershot Town 1, Port Vale 1

by Steve Shaw

Aldershot Town 1, Port Vale 1

PORT Vale failed to earn their first League Two away win of the season, but still picked up a useful point at the Recreation Ground this afternoon.

The Valiants secured their third point from four away days following previous draws at Bradford and Hereford.

Vale had the upper-hand for the majority of the first period and took the lead through Rob Taylor's third goal of the campaign.

But Louis Soares, whose brother Tom plays for city neighbours Stoke City, equalised for the hosts towards the end of the first half.

Vale boss Micky Adams made one change following last week's convincing 4-0 home success over Grimsby Town.

Left wing-back Kris Taylor, who has missed Vale's previous two clashes, was restored to the starting line-up after recovering from a thigh complaint.

Loan defender Damien McCrory made way and was named among seven substitutes.

Vale were dominant in the opening stages.

On two minutes, a smart move started by skipper Tommy Fraser resulted in Rob Taylor flying down the left flank as he ghosted past defender Dave Winfield.

But the make-shift striker's harmless delivery flew across goal and away to safety.

Moments later, Kris Taylor crossed from a deeper position on the left.

This time defender Anthony Charles snuffed out the opportunity, denying striker Marc Richards a shot on goal.

The Shots finally threatened, on eight minutes, when Kirk Hudson found space in an advanced position on the left, but the winger was unable to find a red shirt with his cross.

Rob Taylor drove forward from a central position on 16 minutes.

After brushing off the attention of Charles his poorly-struck 20-yarder drifted wide of the right-hand post.

Three minutes later, Fraser cleared a Shots corner with a low header. The ball made its way to Richards who threatened to break clear from his own half but lacked the pace to outsprint his marker.

However, Vale took a deserved lead in the 24th minute after Hudson surrendered possession before the ball fell to the feet of Rob Taylor a few yards inside Aldershot's half.

The forward powered beyond two defenders including last man Dave Winfield, and expertly drilled a left-foot effort into the far right-hand corner from 16 yards.

Soares tried to respond for Shots on the half hour. After cutting inside Kris Taylor the midfielder crashed his shot the wrong side of the near right-hand post.

On 34 minutes, a sliding Rob Taylor was unable to convert Louis Dodds's right-wing cross at the near post where the striker was met by Shots keeper Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz.

But Taylor quickly picked himself up to turn and fire over from the angle.

Shots midfielder John Halls guided a 25-yarder beyond the right-hand post on 35 minutes before his side levelled three minutes later.

The hosts worked the ball down the left before it fell to Hudson in the box.

The winger cleverly slipped the ball to his right and Soares side-stepped Kris Taylor on the defender's outside before striking his low shot into the near bottom right-hand corner from 12 yards.

The goal was undeserved, although Vale were fortunate not to go into the break behind against their rejuvenated rivals.

Marvin Morgan blazed over before the striker burst clear in the right channel only to see his angled drive brilliantly beat away by Valiants keeper Chris Martin.

Soares and Hylton missed further chances before the break.

Rob Taylor was at it again not long after the restart when he advanced in the left channel but Jaimez-Ruiz was equal to his shot diving to his right.

But the hosts started to take a stranglehold and when McCombe failed to clear his lines properly Scott Donnelly's shot was deflected wide.

Donnelly then rounded Lee Collins on the left but Martin was well positioned to block his centre.

The shots should have taken the lead in the 53rd minute when Morgan went past McCombe on the right side of the box. The striker crossed to the far post where an unchallenged Hudson conspired to miss the target.

Soares sent Morgan on his way in the 57th minute. The striker nipped the ball past Martin but his off-balanced effort was cleared off the line by McCombe.

Adams tried to stem the tide just after the hour mark by throwing on combative midfielder Anthony Griffith and loan attacker Lewis Haldane as Dodds and Loft were replaced.

Rob Taylor was too quick for Halls on 67 minutes his angled shot was blocked.

A Richards header connected with a Kris Taylor cross on 79 minutes, but the ball was deflected wide.

From the resulting corner Kris Taylor had an edge-of-the box strike blocked.

The game lost its way as the second half wore on as Vale secured another valuable point.

Match Stats:

Teams

Aldershot Town: Jaimez-Ruiz, Blackburn, Charles, Winfield, Sandell (Straker, 85), Hudson, Halls, Hylton (Connolly, 86), Donnelly, Soares, Morgan.

Not used: Masters, Chalmers, Grant, Hopkinson.

Port Vale: Martin, Yates, McCombe, Collins, Owen, K Taylor, Dodds (Haldane, 61), Loft (Griffith, 61), Fraser, R Taylor, Richards (Horsfield, 90 + 4).

Not used: Lloyd-Weston, Stockley, Richman, McCrory.

Referee: Phil Crossley (Kent)

Attendance: 3,406 (including 283 visitors)