Gary Roberts will be ruing the day he allowed manager Micky Adams to talk him out of a goal bonus when negotiating his contract extension. He’ll have time to think about it too – he picked up another yellow card, and will now be suspended for the next game.
But Man Of The Match and goal-scorer won’t sulk for long, as his superb strike in the 10th minute has taken Vale into a promotion spot, equal top on points with Torquay and Shrewsbury.
Skipper Tommy Fraser and Roberts seemed to take ages on the edge of the penalty area trying to find space for a shot. Finally Roberts’ blasted it home, although a deflection helped it into the top corner, making it look more like a classic strike than it probably was.
After that it seemed to be all Vale, the team stroking the ball across the park with an absurd amount of confidence.
It was only in the final 25 minutes did Aldershot begin pressing for an equaliser, and it looked like this game might go the same way as the Chesterfield draw (early strike, inevitable late equaliser). But the visitors’ finishing was chronic, particularly Anthony Straker who headed wide from 5 yards out when hitting the target looked easier.
In the end Vale held on comfortably, despite what Aldershot’s manager claimed: “Even the most die-hard Port Vale fan would say they were fortunate to win.” He must have been watching a different game. He also felt that this was Aldershot’s best game of the season, which as they only had one chance on target, should worry Shots fans, not Vale’s.
Vale are 3rd with 13 points, and on the way to the top.