Port Vale 0 Barnsley 0

Last updated : 25 January 2003 By Footymad Previewer

Barnsley came to Vale Park desperately looking for three points to help them get out of the relegation mire, but with the Valiants winning against Peterborough last week, Brian Horton would be looking to add to his team's performance.

Vale looked odds on for an early goal with Brian Horton's men piling on the pressure with Sean McClare nearly cracking it on eleven minutes when his twenty yard pile driver was palmed away at full stretch by Andy Marriott.

Barnsley didn't allow the home side to fall asleep at the back and after 18 minutes Gary Jones burst forward and struck a shot that bobbled just wide of Mark Goodlad's post from just outside the area.

The Tykes were hard done to just before the break when Alex Neil was brought down in the box by Sam Collins, but referee Mark Warren ignore appeals for a penalty.

Vale managed to control possession during the first half, but disappointingly neither team capitalised on any of their chances.

After a slow start to the second half the Valiants came closest after 59 minutes, when the ball found substitute Ian Armstrong free on the left side of the box from where he struck a low drive that Andy Marriot had to save low down.

Vale really should have taken the lead after 68 minutes when a cross from the left by Armstrong found Steve Brooker unchallenged six yards out, but his header was again put safely in to the arms of Marriot.

The home side nearly shot themselves in the foot after 79 minutes when, with the last chance of the match, a cross by Robbie Williams found the boot of Kevin Donovan whose volley was flying wide, only for Sam Collins to come close to running the ball inside his own net.

Tykes coach Colin Walker seemed happy with his team's performance, saying: "We changed the shape a bit, I thought we looked more solid and created more chances to look like the most likely team to score. I know we haven't won the game but it's a base and something to build on."