The Vale fought hard but ultimately lost against Ferndale this morning. Manager Dave Delivers' intricate team plans were instantly bolloxed by the non-arrival of Gaylo. So with much faffing about, Delivers put out a side of Bomo, Ragsy, Pascy, DD, Jim, Kie, Ry, Jase, Luke, Cookie and Sam with DD having to take up an unusual centreback position.
Ferndale started well and kept the ball, causing the Vale to have to work their bollocks off just to keep level. Unfortunately a cock-up from someone (probably the manager!) allowed Ferndale the chance to take the lead with a pretty well worked goal. Centre Mid Jason then indicated his knee was buggered and he had to be subbed. DD brought on Dirky, shoved him on the right wing and dropped Cookie into the middle. Ferndale were still on top, as the Vale lads gave the ball away a little too cheaply, and found it hard to get the bloody thing back. Ferndale doubled their lead fairly quickly as a speculative shot squirmed through Bomo in nets and into the goal. Bomo's fault for buying light footballs....the managers fault for asking him to buy light footballs! The Vale regrouped and managed to get to halftime just 2-0 down. The Vale didn't really play during the first half, yet were still only a couple of goals behind.
Unfortunately, at halftime the manager was forced into another sub as Ragsy had to come off injured. Ed Nunn came on for his debut and slotted into centre mid as the Vale switched to a 4-4-2, with Cookie moving back to rightback. Ferndale had their foot off the pedal at the start of the second half and the Vale started to grow in confidence. It was at this point that the Vale got a goal back...and what a goal it was. Cookie took a short freekick outside the box to Kie, who played it back to Cookie....Cookie knocked it square to Dave D. He played it to Ry, who knocked it back to DD who then played it to Jim. Jim linked up with Sam, who played in Luke who then squared it to Dirky who knocked it into the corner of the net. An absolute worldy of a team goal, with quick passing and movement from all involved in the goal. The Vale continued to improve, though the goal startled Ferndale into improving their game too. The play got a bit scrappy all round but both sides tried to push for further goals. Jim and Dave Delivers both cleared a ball off the line, and everyone was putting themselves about to try and force an equalizer. Jim was the next to get injured tho, and had to be subbed for Nick (who luckily had come to watch!), with Ed dropping to left back. As Delivers made his final sub he heard at least 4 players mutter "Oh shit" as they realised they'd have to play the rest of the game! Ed put a great shift in at left back, winning headers and putting tackles in....tho at one point he did kick an oppo player, which he may have got away with, if he hadn't immediately turned to the ref and told him "If he does that again I'm gonna stamp on him!" A slight lack of subtlety there! Dave Delivers had a couple of handballs toward the end, both of which he was lucky to get away with. Ferndale had a few more chances at the end, and the Vale created one last clear chance when Sam could have played Luke in but held onto it a little too long....then came the final whistle. All over, a 2-1 defeat.
Although the Mighty Vale didn't really play to their best today, they can be more than pleased with the effort and commitment they showed. Every single player absolutely run their bollocks off, which the Vale manager was massively proud of. There wasn't too much moaning either (well actually there was a bit!)....but it was unanimously decided that the cause of the defeat was Gaylo. The goal was brilliant stuff, and shows what a bit of passing and movement can do!
Logie, quite rightly, was awarded the man of the match. With a useless centreback partner next to him, he stepped up to put in a quality performance. He only missed one header too! His partner missed at least 2, the second of which caused Logie to turn to his manager and state "we're not very good in the air, are we?", which may have been the most rhetorical question in modern history!
Jim, Ry and Luke also deserve extra credit. Jim was the standout performer in the first half, and Ry and Luke ran more then anyone else in an attempt to get a grip on the game.
Even though we lost, it's very difficult to criticize anyone in blue/white shirt today.
(*Apologies if I got anything wrong...I have already forgotten most of the match!)
