Team ethic crucial — Holden

DEAN Holden didn’t attempt to hide his delight at the way his players rallied at Port Vale.

Mike Jones’s free kick was the one moment of true quality in the 90 minutes, but it was the way the visitors scrapped away in the second half, not giving an inch, that left the caretaker boss content.

“They all bought into the team ethic, which was important,” said Holden. “But producing a performance like that gives you a better position of getting the points. The willingness to run and cover for each other was great to see.”

Holden said the rugged, physical style of Vale’s front two Ben Williamson and Tom Pope was perfect for defender Adam Lockwood to come up against in his first start in 10 months.

“It might have been a different story if he had been up against a flying machine of Jonathan Forte’s type,” he said of the club captain.

“But we fancied him to go out there in the first half and set the standard. He did that for the most part and we were very solid.”