1-1
First Half
Port Vale were the first side to get a corner as the ball was cleared from an early attack, but it seemed to be the only constructive attack from Vale during the first half.
Rovers won a corner early on aswell, the ball was curled out to Mulligan from Coppinger, whose decent half volley strike, deflected wide off his own player, Price.
10 minutes in, and a very good curling cross from Marples was headed for the top hand corner of the goal by Fortune-West but rattled the corner of the frame-work of the goal and went out.
In the Rovers half, Constantine had netted the ball but it was ruled out for offside.
The Rovers were now getting into the game and playing some good football, one good move produced a lob from Coppinger that went just over the crossbar and another good move by the Rovers saw Price get a chance but the ball bobbled as he shot and he ballooned it out for a goal kick.
Half an hour gone, and Fortune-west headed a whisker wide from close range from another good Coppinger Cross. Following a Rovers corner, McCormack put over a supurb cross on to the head of Wheater, producing a good save by Goodlad in the Vale goal.
The break came with match still goalless, but seeing the Rovers tear apart the Vale defence.
Second Half
Steve Roberts replaced an injured David Wheater, who had taken a knock, for the second half.
The visitors were first to attack with Togwell getting in a shot that was only just wide.
T
he Rovers forced a couple of corners, saw a shot from Mulligan that flew over the bar. Then, on 59 minutes, the breakthrough finally came, a rasping left footer from 25 yards by FORTUNE-WEST nestled as far in the bottom left corner as he could to put the Rovers one-up.
Just a few minutes later, Rovers could have been 2-0 up, when Fortune-West headed on a free kick which Coppinger touched on for McCormack but his shot was blocked.
The Rovers continued to press as both teams rang the changes. As the time began to run out the Vale got more into the game and got their reward (although they didn't deserve it having been very poor), on 86 minutes when CONSTANTINE fired in from an angle on the right following a good cross. Time came with the result standing at one-all.
So to the optomist its 7 games undefeated, but to the les optomistic person, it's 4 draws in a row and 12 dropped points.
I'm the optomist, and believe we can still go up!