Port Vale: Pre-match stats ahead of Vale's clash with Chesterfield

PREVIOUS MEETING

February 9, 2010 – League Two

PORT VALE 1

(Davies 49)

CHESTERFIELD 2

(Downes 10, Green 31)

A POOR first-half showing contributed heavily to this defeat.

The visitors stormed into an early lead when the rebound from a Rob Page shot against a post was swept home by fellow defender Aaron Downes.

The Spireites doubled their lead on 31 minutes when Dominic Green out-paced defender John McCombe to score with a deflected shot from the edge of the home penalty area.

Vale bagged a consolation goal not long after the break through loan striker Craig Davies.

Port Vale: Martin, Owen (McCombe, 27), Yates, Collins, K Taylor, Griffith (Dodds, 84), Fraser, Rigg, Richards, Haldane (R Taylor, 85), Davies.

Chesterfield: Lee, Downes (Austin, 46 - Niven, 59), Goodall, Page, Breckin, Rundle, Small (Boden, 69), Allott, Green, Gray, Conlon.

Attendance: 4,090.

FORM GUIDE

Chesterfield: WWWLWL

Port Vale: LWLWLW

WHO WE'D LIKE TO BUY

Adam Rundle: The 25-year-old is a tricky winger capable of delivering a killer cross or pass. When he's not dictating the attacking play, the former Rochdale midfielder is not afraid to put his foot in.

WHO TO BOO

Barry Conlon: The experienced 31-year-old striker is an old-fashioned target man who will try to bully Vale's defence into submission. And he has form. Conlon scored against Vale last December for former club Grimsby Town, although he couldn't stop the Mariners losing 2-1 at Blundell Park.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Paul Tierney (Lancashire): In charge of Vale's 1-0 home win over Darlington in August. This is Tierney's debut season as a Football League official.

PROBABLE TEAMS

Chesterfield: Lee, Gray, Page, Breckin, Goodall, Whaley, Niven, Allott, Rundle, Talbot, Conlon.

Port Vale: Anyon, Collins, McCombe, Owen, K Taylor, Haldane, Griffith, Fraser, R Taylor, Richards, Davies.

PREDICTION

BATTLING Vale earn a creditable 2-2 draw thanks to goals from Lewis Haldane and Rob Taylor.