Preview: Port Vale vs. Stevenage

Sports Mole previews Saturday’s League One clash between Port Vale and Stevenage, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Managerless Port Vale will attempt to end their five-game winless run when they welcome Stevenage to Vale Park on Saturday.

While the Valiants are languishing in the League One drop zone, the visitors will head into the weekend in sixth position.

Match preview
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Port Vale are currently without a permanent manager after Andy Crosby was sacked following last Saturday’s 3-0 away defeat against Fleetwood Town.

Will Ryder was subsequently placed in temporary charge with Matt Done and Danny Lloyd, and the trio began their interim tenure with a disappointing 1-0 loss in their home meeting with Leyton Orient.

Idris El Mizouni’s second-half strike proved enough to condemn Port Vale to a narrow defeat, which caused them to drop into the League One relegation zone.

Although the Valiants are now one point adrift from safety, they do at least have the advantage of having two games in hand over the four teams sitting above them in the table.

Having failed to score in any of their last three games, Port Vale will have to improve in the final third if they are to trouble a Stevenage side that has conceded 28 goals in 29 league matches this season.

Stevenage, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back after their three-game winning run was brought to an end by Reading in midweek.

Steve Evans’s side entered the midweek fixture off the back of an eight-game unbeaten home run in the third tier, but a Vadaine Oliver own goal ultimately condemned them to their first home league defeat since September.

Despite being left empty-handed on Tuesday, Stevenage are still sitting in the final playoff position and one point better off than seventh-placed Oxford United.

After playing back-to-back home games, Stevenage will now head on their travels, where they will have the chance to claim a third consecutive away win following victories over Shrewsbury Town and Wigan Athletic in their last two road trips.

Stevenage certainly enjoyed their most recent trip to Vale Park in December when they held their nerve to win a penalty shootout in an FA Cup second-round replay.

Port Vale League One form:

Stevenage League One form:

Stevenage form (all competitions):

Team News
© Reuters

Port Vale are without long-term absentees Mitch Clark, Ben Garrity and Uche Ikpeazu, while Manchester United loanee Dan Gore is ruled out with a quad issue.

James Plant is closing in on a return to action following a spell on the sidelines, but it remains to be seen whether the 20-year-old will be passed fit for the weekend.

After dropping down to the bench in midweek, Conor Grant is in contention to return to the starting lineup for Saturday’s home clash.

As for the visitors, Reading loanee Nesta Guinness-Walker will come back into the squad after being ineligible to feature against his parent club on Tuesday.

Finley Burns, who is on loan from Manchester City, could return to the starting XI after losing his place in the side for the defeat to Reading.

Jamie Reid will continue to offer one of Stevenage’s main goal threats, having scored 16 times in 29 league matches this season.

Port Vale possible starting lineup:
Ripley; Lopata, Lowe, Debrah; Sang, Ojo, Weir, Grant; Chislett; Loft, Wilson

Stevenage possible starting lineup:
MacGillivray; Vancooten, Sweeney, Piergianni, Butler; Freeman, Burns, Forster-Caskey; Roberts; Reid, Olivier

We say: Port Vale 1-2 Stevenage
Despite being edged out by Reading in midweek, Stevenage will fancy their chances of claiming all three points after winning their last two away matches.

We think that the visitors will ultimately prove too strong for a Port Vale side who have lost four of their previous five games.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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