As I look at Robbie Williams proudly wearing his L.A. Vale kit on the cover of Observer Sports Monthly I wonder what he would have felt about yesterday's defeat which kept his beloved Valiants in the bottom two while the mighty Blues moved to third with their fourth league win on the trot. Let me entertain you indeed.
My National Express funfare on the way up at 8quid was too good to turn down even at three and a half hours to Stoke, then a small bus journey to Burslem. The German had left a small feast trying to hide her guilt at leaving me for a hot Greek sun but what the hell I was looking forward to the game, I felt three points were there for the taking if we took out present league form to the midlands.
The choice was a very nice 10.30 start but that got into Stoke at 2.15, sorry too close after the Oldham fiasco, so it was the 8am, what I did from 11.25 was up to me and the delightful charms of the Vine pub, or so I thought. We hit the Corley service station, one hour from Stoke, you could smell the pottery, at 10.20 to change the driver as the coach finished up at Liverpool. The trouble was two hours later we were still there! (That's a lot of Starbucks.) The seat had broken, the seat! I can take smoke pouring out of the engine but the seat, what was the relief driver, a midget! Health and bloody safety my a**! At 12.20 we were off on the relief bus, no I will not put on my seat belt just get moving, and at 1.20 we pulled into the coach station which luckily doubles as the for the buses. Anything to Burslem, "the 21 mate, just leaving", a 1.75 return and 20 minutes later I was indeed in the Vine pub, 2 hours later than planned, with quite a few Blues, sinking three pints of the wonderfully named Hellraiser, a fine local ale, faster than Newcastle were at Manchester City. Old Sven, not too bad is he after all? (Though Siege Hails at the ten year old coloured boy lads, a touch seventies don't you think and not very nice.) A large JD and coke was sunk in time to take in the game after a short walk to the ground, literally around the corner from the pub.
Taking my seat I'd notice we'd been herded into a small area behind the goal, seats to the left and right barred by a tough netting obviously nicked from some Cornish trawlermen. Ridiculous. "We were told by your police only 300 were coming up." Well maybe so love but use some common. Yes, it makes life easier for the stewards, and we must have that of course, but let's not forget the poor punters who have just travelled hundreds of miles and are placing a few bob in the Vale coffers, and with gates falling below 4,000 they need us, but when did that enter the thoughts of the Gestapo's that look after these things. The match kicked off, the lads went charging down behind the goal standing up because they love Southend and poor 6 to 60 year olds, who only like them a lot obviously, could not see a thing and guess what, the barbed wire nets were pushed back to allow some more vulnerable supporters to sit with a full view of the game. Doh boys and girls, not all 300 were the same but surely they know that! Brainless.
T&B gave me two surprises, though not mega, with Gower fit he replaced Black, the balance of the side is better with him but was it a gamble re his fitness? The second was a full game for the boy Odhiambo as Harrold was indeed given a rest and with MacDonald injured after Blackpool, we now had a chance to see if keeping him longer on loan was worth the option.
From the start it was Southend who pushed Vale back looking for an early goal but it was the home side who went closest to opening the scoring when David McGoldrick sent in a free kick from 25 yards that went just wide of the upright. Then Paul Harsley brought a good save out of Collis in the Shrimpers goal, keeping Darryl on the bench, and with Rodgers twice going close again, you wondered if it might not be our day. They looked lively in front of their new manager, certainly they were the better side for this period of the game. (Brian Little is rumoured to be on his way soon, see message board for an Observer report.) What a pain in the butt Rodgers was going to prove to be all afternoon. A sort of Speedie light he was everywhere, sometimes falling over a touch too easily but certainly giving 100%, I can see why we've been interested over the years and why poor Foley lost his job by falling out with him. He really was the only player on the Vale side you could see causing any serious damage, if we didn't have a hundred forwards at the club I wouldn't say no, it would be fun seeing him upfront with Clarke.
Talking of whom when Mark Gower, (who had looked a little off the pace but certainly didn't deserve some of the more brainless chants he was getting from a small section of the away support, I mean "get off you lazy c**t", why go all that way to shout that), suddenly, on the half hour, found himself in the inside right position setting up Clarke who fired in a shot that curled high into the corner of the net. Brilliant! But Vale were not out of it yet, Harsley got in a header from close range which brought a great reaction save out of Collis just when it looked like the home side had found the net.
I had so promised not to have a go at the ref but sadly Mr. D. Drysdale of Lincolnshire gives me little choice. Another duffer, how do they get past their local park leagues? Earlier he had booked Mac for, yes, a silly series of challenges, but as far as I could tell it was the first occasion he had been involved in any incident and when I say 'challenges' they were mere small natbites at the back of the Vale forwards ankles, he didn't even go down, exactly what you expect your midfield rotweiller to do. A word would have been more than enough. Then a lump called Roecastle, think Sodje on a very bad day, got involved in a touch of handbags but clearly raised a hand to a Blue player and with the law as it is an instant red card, not from Mr. Drysdale who now saw leniency and booked him. Rubbish. He didn't improve much in the second half, (see 'Bailey booking' section), however, he sort of did us a favour as from the free kick, now in first half stoppage time, that lazy c player, Gower isn't it?, was in his normal left wing position, crossed to the boy Eric, who had in all honestly had been a bit of a smaller Harrold up to then, placed a pass into the stride of McCormack who finished with aplomb, 2-0 at half time. The plastic bottle of Carling tasted sweeter than it deserved to be.
Inevitably Rodgers was involved in the Vale goal. Lewis took a lunge at him, and he has a fast pair of feet, and it did look a penalty as much as you can make out from the other end. He got himself up and smashed the ball past Collis on the hour and suddenly a comfortable win might not turn out that way. However, as at Oldham, this Southend side, the post-Brighton one, is made of sterner stuff and in all honesty bar some huffing and puffing, mostly from Rodgers, we saw the half hour out in relative comfort. There even came another chance for the ref to stand out as Bailey went around the keeper, was going wide, but definitely had his ankles clipped by the Vale keeper. Penalty; no says Mr. Drysdale, who adds insult to injury by yellow carding the busy former Barnet man for disputing the official's eyesight. Clarke also created a late chance for a match sealing third with a skilful chip which Anyon tipped over but, in the end, while not a vintage Blues performance, the first half two would be enough.
A 12.50 fair for a just short of three hour train journey back to Euston did not leave until 18.21 so gave time for a trip to the Roebuck close to the station which had become a student place since I last visted. A large J.D. and coke for 3.20 in what seemed to be a small bucket hit the spot more than Man. U. could in the first half of their game and led to a peaceful journey back, a few Blue shirts but no conversation to wake me up this time and the Germans new designer sun glasses, yes there was sun in the Potteries, were glued to my head.
Marks out of 10:
COLLIS - 8; The debate will go on but some great saves when Port Vale were looking the better side during the first half turned the tide. It's an irony that while little Darryl always 'looked' a keeper big Steve sometime seems a touch all at sea when the ball is bouncing around the area. However, he doesn't allow the ball to 'bounce around' all that often while his shot stopping skills, Darryl's main strength, came to the fore here and some. Though he's yet to prove how he would stand up against a really class attack, we've not had a Darryl trademark jaw dropping save yet, he simply can't be dropped at the moment.
Hunt - 7; Well no Mott the Prawn slagging for Lewis this week, lucky him, and he had a very good game here. Is caught out for pace at times however did not change his game plan that much but now had McCormack firmly in his corner as Gower had returned to his left wing home. Some great covering work, strong in the tackle, too much early in the second half, solid and reliable work, I hope this performance keeps some of the critics off his back.
Clarke - 7; Peter just gets better and better with Richards next to him. Was caught out by the pace and general annoyingness of Rodgers at time but so will any defender in this league, even resorting to one of his horrible dribbles out of the area at one stage in the first half. No, Clarkey, No! Even so, the fact Vale hardly had a shot on goal after getting back in the game, al la Oldham, proves how this defense, this team, have improved post Brighton. Was booked.
Richards - 8; Deceptively fast, as good in the air as he always is, safe and secure as a Northern Rock bank account covered by the PM, the fact I keep going on about Rodgers is bar a couple of chances the other Vale forwards were not really in the game.
Barrett - 7; Defended well, his trademark runs in the opposition half not as evident as in recent home games but looked happier with Gower back covering that black hole that can open up in front of him at times. Stand up and applaud the legend that is Adam Barrett, here is to the next 150 games.
McCormack - 7; The early unjustified booking certainly seemed to take the wind out of Mac a touch, however a half Mac is better than none atall and he still ran around with his usual enthusiasm finishing off a fine move with that lethal left foot, five goals now? Not bad for a tough tackling midfielder.
Maher - 7; Some fine passing mixed in with some poor ones, a typical Captain Kev performance, never hiding, always trying to move the team forward, always willing to try a trick or two to get behind the Vale defense which looked less than safe. Good game.
Bailey - 6; Bar the obvious penalty appeal a similar game to last week and though lacking a huge creative presence in these matches has a big heart linking well with the rest of the midfield and making a goal saving tackle just after his booking. The gem that is Bailey keeps shining, a very, very good T&B signing who is going through a quiet period, not surprising considering his youth. Must preserve with.
Gower - 7; Some stupid criticism apart, there was no doubt he fell behind the pace at times in the first half, you can see why Tilly wanted him back. The whole balance of the side improves with him out on the left, or even in the middle if he sets up more goals for Leon! Got more in the game second half but deserves a 7 for the passes that led to the two goals. When fully match fit will only improve this already improving side. Black better get used to the subs bench again.
Odhiambo - 6; Maybe a touch harsh, 6 and a half maybe. Improved as the match went on, especially his first touch and the timing of his runs. Never stopped working, you could see his confidence grow. Certainly worth a home game.
Clarke - 8; The main defence for not dropping Harrold was that no one would win the ball in the air, not Leon's strong point, and while not the fastest thing on two legs, "atheisticly slow", someone commented behind me interestingly, he certainly tried to make up for the loss of the Prince here. He jumped for everything, not always successfully but Collis kept aiming for him as young Eric wasn't going to win too much and he didn't do too badly. Intelligent, he nearly released Eric through on goal a couple of times, I don't think it matters who he plays with too much. As for his shooting, he overhit one chance but the goal was a thing of beauty, Stan himself would have been nodding on approvingly if he had been in the stand. Maybe he was.
Subs; Foran (78 mts. for McCormack) - 7; Mac was obviously tired and the yellow card was on Tilly's mind. Foran certainly worked hard enough in an odd position for him, linked well with his colleagues and showed no little skill at times. Cannot give an opinion on any long term position within the team with these cameos.
Black (89mts for Gower) - wasted some time as the ref played for a good five minutes after the 90.
Ref - I give up!