Crawley Town v Port Vale preview: Reds look to rectify defensive mistakes against Vale

Crawley Town finally have a week on the training ground, and with no midweek game they can focus on the visit of Port Vale to The People’s Pension Stadium in League Two on Saturday.
Action from last season's clash between Crawley Town and Port Vale at The People's Pension Stadium. Picture by Derek Martin PhotographyAction from last season's clash between Crawley Town and Port Vale at The People's Pension Stadium. Picture by Derek Martin Photography
Action from last season's clash between Crawley Town and Port Vale at The People's Pension Stadium. Picture by Derek Martin Photography

The reverse fixture was on the opening day and ended in a 2-0 defeat for the Reds, after Vale looked the much better side, but the table would suggest otherwise at this late point in the season.

Vale started the season strongly but faded away in a horrible run of form that took them from play-off contention to relegation candidates.

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However, similarly to Barrow last week, Port Vale have started improving recently with back-to-back wins against Newport and Colchester.

These were Darrell Clarke’s first two wins since joining Vale from Walsall earlier in the season and they’ll look to be using this as a platform to build on and finish the season strongly.

With them being ten points off the drop they’d like to think they are safe, so with little to play for they will be looking to push themselves up the table as much as possible and give themselves a platform for next season.

The back-to-back wins provides Vale some hope with Devante Rodney and Tom Conlon particularly impressing. Rodney has picked up a goal in each of the last two games with Conlon providing a goal and an assist himself.

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As for Crawley they’ll be looking to erase the poor defensive mistakes they made at Barrow, which cost them picking up points.

SEE ALSO 'We never give in' - Yems lauds Crawley Town's never-say-die attitude | Opinion: Crawley are hoist by their own petard at Barrow | 'You cannot defend like that and win football matches' - Boss John Yems unimpressed by Crawley Town defending in Barrow defeatIt was a contrast to what Crawley have been playing like recently after a few clean sheets a poor showing in defence was the last thing that was expected to happen.

League Two provides some strange things though and losing 3-2 to Barrow further proves that anyone can beat anyone in the league, and it is extremely difficult to get out of.

The defeat leaves Crawley six points off the play-offs, which is still doable, but Crawley will be solely focused on just winning as many games as they can between now and the end of the season.

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A top-half finish would see Crawley finish above where they did last season which has to be a big achievement, considering all the struggles with the pandemic.

Another win will be what Crawley will be aiming for and they have made a habit of winning at The People’s Pension Stadium recently so hopefully this continues.