Struggling Vale in need of a boost

VALIANT THREAT . . . Port Vale's young striker Dan Turner (right)

A NEW-LOOK Port Vale side have struggled to adjust to life following relegation and may well look to tonight's Checkatrade Trophy opener at SportsDirect.com Park (7.30pm kick-off) as a palate cleanser.

The club's opening encounter in Sky Bet League Two was encouraging enough. Goals from Michael Tonge, a one-time Sheffield United team-mate of manager Michael Brown's, Antony Kay and Dan Turner earned a 3-1 victory at Crawley.

But since then, it's been a tale of woe. Four straight league defeats have arrived and the latest came on home soil in a 1-0 loss against Crewe.

Chris Dagnall put the Valiants behind with a 30th-minute header and four minutes later, Tonge was sent off for a high challenge on George Cooper - an incident that provoked quite a reaction from the victorious manager.

"The red card was a horrific challenge," said Crewe boss David Artell.

"It was a straight red as much and as their gaffer might complain, he is trying to influence the ref I think. But their players are walking off at half-time saying it is a red.

"We all know it's a red - the crowd don't think it is, but that's because they're not that well-educated."

Despite being down to 10 men Brown almost saw his side take a share of the spoils when Tom Pope, who returned to the club in the close-season from Bury, crashed a header against the crossbar.

"We are disappointed first and foremost to lose the game," Brown told the Stoke Sentinel.

"However, the game goes, you never want to lose it. But I thought the players in the second half were absolutely immense. If we can keep that sort of level of performance that we showed there we will be okay.

"We have just said that in the dressing room.

"They have set themselves a standard there and that is with ten men, with the desire and the running. For 15 minutes of the second half, we were very unfortunate not to get something out of the game."

Vale could be in line for an off-field boost this week. Preston striker Jordan Hugill has been linked with a move elsewhere in the Championship, with an £8million offer from Reading reportedly turned down.

The Vale Park club have confirmed they have a 20-per-cent sell-on clause relating to the deal that took Hugill to Deepdale for £25,000 three years ago.