Port Vale 1 - 0 Coventry City

[dutchman]

[dutchman]

Match report by Andy Turner



Coventry City suffered a Boxing Day set-back at bottom half Port Vale to put a dent in manager Mark Robins’s points target for the festive programme.

The Sky Blues boss had challenged his players to win all four of their holiday fixtures but after getting off to the perfect start against Wycombe on Friday night they followed up with a disappointing defeat at Vale Park.

Although they defended well at times, soaking up spells of home pressure, City conceded to a 79th minute Nathan Smith goal on a day they rarely looked like scoring themselves.

In fact, second half substitute Duckens Nazon was the only player to get a shot on target with a low and hard effort that was easily saved by the keeper as Vale secured only their fourth win at home.

Robins had to make one forced change, with wide man Peter Vincenti unable to travel due to the knee injury he picked up against Wanderers last time out and that resulted in right-back Jack Grimmer being pushed forward to cover on the wing. Tom Davies came in to the heart of the back four and Jordan Willis shuffled across to fill in at full-back.

Grimmer got forward reasonably well in the first half but City were limited to just one attempt on goal, a Marc McNulty shot over the bar as the visitors struggled to threaten the home goal to the break.

Vale looked the more threatening in the opening 45 when they had five shots, albeit only one on target and not enough to test goalkeeper Lee Burge in an otherwise competitive, if not exactly exhilirating half.

Duckens Nazon went on for Max Biamou midway through the second half, adding a bit more quality on the ball and helping City up their measly shot count, before Jordan Ponticelli and Stuart Beavon were thrown on as a last desperate bid to get something from the game.

But, in truth, it was a poor game as City reverted back to being the toothless attack that they have been all too often this season.