Another decent performance. It was looking like a good team performance with no standout players, but then Neal's saves were simply stunning and set him apart from the rest for me. Neal: 9.5 - Brilliant performance. Confident, competent handling and sensational saves. Won us the match. Grandison: 7 - Wasn't overly troubled. Did his job, a few solid tackles, and had a brief stint up front too! SCS: 7 - Again, solid. Richards' dirty play didn't unsettle him at all.. Sharps: 7 - Continuing to play some nice stuff with the ball at his feet now! He dealt with Richards very well. Jacobson: 6.5 - Still doesn't look quite as he did before Plymouth, his crossing was below what we've come to expect. Good defensively, though, which is the main thing. Richards: 7.5 - Broke up the play well and sprayed some very good passes. Once again, he scored an important goal (with a bit of dodgy keeping). Wroe: 7 - Classy. Comfortable in possession and was involved with everything. Wildig: 6.5 - Struggled to really get into the game. Wright: 7 - Good performance, which inevitably meant no goal! He was a little unlucky with his effort off the post, it wasn't as easy as it may have looked but he still should've scored. Gornell: 6.5 - Decent. Held the ball up very well. Collins: 7 - Put a shift in and gave their defenders a physical presence to deal with. Lucky to stay on the pitch at the end, though.
Gotta say, I think Richards was MoTM. At times, that bloke looks head & shoulders above most others on the field. The way he strokes that ball around, his composure, his control & he does a fair bit of chasing too.. He's a pleasure to watch & for me the PoTS.
It was between Richards and Neal to get MoM. Richards would have got it outright if Neal hadn't of made those later saves.
Neal was my MOTM for keeping us in it and being brave against the big lads from corners. Honourable mentions to the centre mid pairing who engineered some good moves, the defence who were solid (especially Sharps and Grandison) and Collins and Gornell (then Marv) give Vale plenty to think about. Sign of a good team
Richards shaded Neal for me - we needed his composure to calm things down at times. He sets a great example. Neal was a very close second though, he's made some fantastic saves lately.
