Valiants play out 0-0 draw in League One encounter
Port Vale earned a superb battling draw against unbeaten Blackpool as they fought out a 0-0 scoreline at Bloomfield Road while collecting their fourth point from six in their last two League One matches.
Having risen to 14th in the table from 23rd after overcoming Reading at Vale Park, Andy Crosby’s side prevented the hosts from emulating their opening day victory against Burton Albion on home turf.
In front of a travelling contingent of 1,900 loud and proud Valiants, Vale were content to let Blackpool have possession in the opening exchanges as the visitors used Garrity, Ethan Chislett and Massey to press high and try to stop the home team coming out too easily.
After 10 minutes, Plant controlled a long ball from keeper Connor Ripley and fed the charging Chislett who foraged forward and shot from the edge of the box which went narrowly wide, a corner given. From Chislett’s delivery from the left, Alex Iacovetti nodded back across goal for Dan Jones to head into the net but it was adjudged offside.
Vale were showing some youthful exuberance going forward from what was a congested midfield, forcing Blackpool to go long and playing a bright passing game while working hard.
On the half hour, Massey wasted a glorious chance to put the visitors in front when he robbed Oliver Norburn, turned towards goal, stepped away from Marvin Ekpiteta but skewed horribly wide from the edge of the penalty area when he went for power rather than precision.
Then Plant fired in a weak shot which keeper Daniel Grimshaw stopped low down at his near post.
The game became more frenetic as the hosts tried to impose themselves but Vale defended well as the home team put more pressure on. In fact just before half time, it was Vale who had a spell of their own, looking extremely comfortable and when Chislett and Ollie Arblaster combined well, Massey’s flicked header flew wide when it needed a better connection.
Blackpool started the second half much brighter and Vale lived dangerously as a couple of crosses flew across their goalmouth.
Albie Morgan then burst into the area and poked a shot straight at Ripley.
Striker Shayne Lavery’s looping header caused Ripley to tip away from danger and it was clear the home side were approaching the contest with more ambition.
Vale were still producing good football though and Arblaster fired wide after great link-up play with Chislett.
Sang and Thomas replaced Arblaster and Massey and the changes had an effect.
Garrity should have done better than fire a low centre across goal too far in front of the unmarked Chislett who would have had a tap in.
Again, Blackpool pressured, though, with Vale having to defend and when James Husband’s cross fell to CJ Hamilton he miscued across goal.
Blackpool were putting Vale under enormous pressure consistently but were unable to make it count. It looked like midfielder Norburn would score but Jones blocked his shot as Vale frantically hacked the ball clear.
Crosby’s men were pinned back in the final 15 minutes but defended heroically – Jones and Iacovitti in particular superb under the aerial threat posed by a dominant home side.
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