PORT VALE 1
Curtis 89
MORECAMBE 0
Port Vale manager Darren Moore believes the ball couldn’t have fallen to a better man after a late goal from Ronan Curtis secured victory against Morecambe.
The Valiants were frustrated for most of the game as it looked like the game was set to end goalless.
However, Curtis’ shot from 25 yards found the bottom corner in the 89th minute to send Vale up two places to fourth in the table.
The three points put them level on points with AFC Wimbledon in third.
Pleased
Vale boss Moore was delighted the opportunity came the Irish winger’s way.
He said: “If the ball was going to drop like that to anybody, at that distance from goal, it was Ronan because he’s a clean striker of the ball.
“When he hit it, my eyes scanned to the goalkeeper and I saw him scrambling.
“So it was one of two things – either he’s scrambling to make the save or it’s gone past him, and I’m glad it was the second one.
“We talked at half-time about needing that one clean effort at goal and obviously we would have liked it to come earlier than that.
“But I was just pleased with the way the boys kept going.”
Match action
The first chance of the match fell to Morecambe in the third minute.
Gwion Edwards nearly caught out goalkeeper Ben Amos with a lobbed effort.
Vale had the ball in the back of the net ten minutes later.
Jayden Stockley turning in Connor Hall’s cross, but it was ruled out for offside.
A game generally low on chances sprung into life around the hour mark.
As Stockley was seemingly brought down in the box, claims for a penalty arose.
But it came to no avail, frustrating the home crowd.
The visitors immediately went down the other end and Callum Jones forced Amos to parry behind a shot from distance.
Amos was called into action again in the 67th minute, making a great save to deny Edwards’ headed effort from close range.
The hosts started to turn up the pressure and nearly took the lead when Ryan Croasdale’s shot crashed off a post.
The winning goal arrived in the final minute of normal time as Curtis curled the ball into the bottom corner.
Unfortunate
Morecambe remain 23rd and are seven points from safety, but boss Derek Adams insisted: “I thought we were excellent today.
“I loved the performance, I loved the way that we played.
“Tactically, we were outstanding, with and without the ball.
“We were unfortunate not to score.”
Player ratings
Port Vale: Amos 7, Sang 8, Debrah 8, Hall 7, Clark 6 (Richards 66, 7; Smith 90+3), Croasdale 7, Walters 6 (Garrity 66, 6), John 8, Tolaj 7 (Hackford 90+3), Stockley 7, Curtis 8. Subs not used: Broome, Umolu, Harper.
Morecambe: Burgoyne 6, Millen 6, Williams 7, Stott 7, Tutonda 6, White 6, Jones 7 (Cooke 84, 6), Tollitt 6 (Garner 84, 6), Edwards 6 (Slew 70, 6), Lewis 7 (Songo’o 63, 6), Angol 6. Subs not used: Hope, Dallas, Dackers.
Attendance: 7,038 Rating: ★★★ Referee: Scott Oldham 6/10
Star Man – Ronan Curtis (Port Vale)
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