Match Preview | Argyle v Port Vale
Friday’s meeting between Argyle and Port Vale will be the first time Steven Schumacher’s side are in league action at Home Park for 32 days.
The last game at the Theatre of Greens, in Sky Bet League One, was the thrilling 4-2 win over Exeter City, and the lengthy gap between home games has simply served to heighten the excitement for the next instalment of a thrilling story unfolding this season.
Argyle have won all nine of their home fixtures in the league so far, which has contributed to the Greens leading the division. Port Vale, promoted last season, sit 10th, with 26 points from 19 games.
The Valiants have had a mixed bag of results lately. They drew 2-2 away to Wycombe Wanderers at the start of November, but followed up with a 4-0 defeat at Oxford United. Their last league game was on 19 November, when they beat Charlton Athletic 1-0 at home.
In between times, Vale exited the Emirates FA Cup with a 3-2 loss in the first round at home to Exeter City, and progressed in the Papa Johns Trophy thanks to a 2-1 home win over Barnsley.
Experienced forward Ellis Harrison is Vale’s top goalscorer this season. The 28-year-old former Bristol Rovers, Portsmouth and Fleetwood striker has scored seven league goals since his switch to Vale Park in the summer.
The move saw him link up with Darrell Clarke, the manager who arguably got the best from Harrison while they were together at Bristol Rovers.
Clarke gained hero status at the Memorial Stadium by steering Rovers to back-to-back promotions from the National League to League One during five-and-a-half years in the job.
He spent almost two years in charge of Walsall in League Two before leaving for Port Vale in February 2021. Last season, in his first full season in the job, Vale were promoted via the play-offs.
Argyle and Port Vale have not met since September 2019, when Vale won 1-0. The game later that season never occurred, because of the Covid outbreak. The last meeting at Home Park was in the FA Cup in January 2014, the last league meeting as far back as September 2012.
For the last victory over Port Vale at Home Park, we have to go back to 2004, with a 2-1 Pilgrims victory, en route to promotion from the third tier. The winning goal that day was scored by Ian Stonebridge, who will be part of the Argyle TV team covering this game, available worldwide.
Schumacher Says
I think they are doing great. They had a brilliant start coming up from League Two, and settling straight in. They have carried on their momentum that they had built last year. They cross a lot of balls into the box and get bodies in there. They are a hard team to play against. They get after you and pressure which is tricky. They are not going to stand and let us have it all our own way.
We will try to play with the energy that we need. If we go through some adversity, which I’m sure we will at stages in the game, we overcome it and the crowd stick behind us, keep encouraging the players, we have shown that when we are at it, and we go ahead at Home Park, we look a strong team. If we go behind, we have it in us to react.
Tickets
This fixture is sold out for home supporters. Any away supporter wishing to purchase on the day of the game must buy their ticket from the Home Park Ticket Office, not on the gate.
Turnstiles will open two hours before kick-off, from 5.45pm. Supporters are advised to enter through the turnstile identified on their match ticket. However, if neighbouring turnstiles have shorter queues, supporters are permitted to enter these to speed up access to the stadium.
Academy Day
As our dedicated Academy Day fixture, Argyle will welcome hundreds of youngsters from the club's various Academy age groups, as well as their families, to Home Park on Friday night.
As part of the evening, the entire Academy contingent will undertake a half-time lap of honour around Home Park, while the Academy's under-8 group will play a small-sided game on the pitch.
Academy representatives will also appear in Club Argyle pre-match, as well as on Argyle TV in the build-up to kick off.
Argyle TV
The game is available to stream for domestic and overseas supporters, with commentary from Charlie Price and former Argyle Women’s captain Katie Middleton.
From 6.45pm, Erin Black and Ian Stonebridge will bring you a pre-match show, streamed for free on YouTube, as we build up to the game.
