McKenna: We Know We're in For a Fight Monday, 24th Oct 2022 13:22 Town boss Kieran McKenna says he knows his side will be in for a fight when they visit Port Vale on Tuesday evening. The Blues, who will be backed by 1,700 fans on their first trip to Vale Park for more than 22 years, got back to winning ways on Friday by defeating Derby County 1-0 at Portman Road. Vale won by the same scoreline at Cambridge on Saturday - via an own goal netted by former Blue Paul Digby - and are 14th in the League One table, 14 points behind Town having played a game fewer. They are currently unbeaten in four in all competitions, three in the league. At home this season they have won two, drawn three and lost two. “They've done well, I think even points-wise with their game in hand they're in a really good position," Kieran said. “They are going to be a difficult team, they have physicality, they press well and try to be aggressive, and doing really well on their set plays, so it's going to be a good challenge. “Challenging pitch as well, which is probably the first time we’ll have encountered that but we’re going to have that through the winter months, so that gives another challenge and something we have to be ready for. “All in all, it's a Tuesday night game up at Port Vale, we know we're in for a fight and we're going to have to be right at it to get a result. “It's up to us to fight and show the spirit required to get a result and to hopefully send the supporters home happy.” McKenna will probably tweak the side which beat the Rams on Friday a little, while he is also forced into at least one change with skipper Sam Morsy suspended. Christian Walton will be in goal with Janoi Donacien, Luke Woolfenden and George Edmundson again set to continue at the back with Leif Davis the left wing-back and Wes Burns on the right. In central midfield, Dominic Ball will come into the side, while the Blues seem likely to be without both their regular starters with Lee Evans having been due to undergo scans this morning having suffered a knee injury on Friday. Tuesday’s match is likely to come too soon for Panutche Camara to start, although the former Plymouth man is set to travel and will probably be on the bench, so if Evans misses out 18-year-old Cameron Humphreys could be handed his first league start having impressed in the cup games so far this season and having appeared twice as a sub in League One in 2021/22. McKenna says the young players such as Humphreys are a significant aspect of the squad, who could be required as the season goes forward. “Very important,” he added. “The EFL Trophy game [at Cambridge] last week was a good game for that. Edwin [Agbaje] and Tawanda [Chirewa] both did well in their starts. “Cam Humphreys, of course, has been in and around it all season but it’s his first season in the senior dressing room even. “That’s really important and those boys are going to be important behind the scenes here and it’s very possible they could be important on the match pitch in the next couple of months.” Conor Chaplin will return as one of the number 10s with Kyle Edwards perhaps also coming into the team with Freddie Ladapo potentially also back as the lone out-and-out striker. Centre-half Cameron Burgess could be among the subs having played for the U21s on Friday following his facial surgery. Third-choice keeper Nick Hayes suffered a knock in the U21s on Friday and so 16-year-old Woody Williamson could travel as the third keeper. Port Vale could be without former Blues striker Ellis Harrison, striker James Wilson and forward Dennis Politic, who all missed Saturday's win at the Abbey Stadium with minor knocks. Keeper Jack Stevens suffered a dead leg at Cambridge and was replaced by Aidan Stone and is another likely to be a doubt. Striker Jamie Proctor (hip) and midfielder Funso Ojo (hamstring) remain unavailable. Historically, Town and Port Vale have met on 35 previous occasions with Town winning 22 (21 in the league), Vale seven (six) and with six (six) ending in draws. The Blues have won the last six matches between the clubs and are unbeaten in the last eight. Town’s last defeat to the Potteries club was back in March 1996 in a First Division (now Championship) game at Vale Park which ended 2-1 to the home side. Two months earlier, Vale had beaten Town 4-2 at Portman Road in the Anglo-Italian Cup semi-final. The teams last met at Portman Road in April 2000 with the Blues on the way to the play-offs and then the Premier League and Vale into the third tier. Goals from Matt Holland, James Scowcroft and David Johnson saw Town to a 3-0 win. Three months earlier at Vale Park, Holland and Scowcroft were again on target as the Blues won 2-1, Tony Naylor netting for the home side in between their strikes. Town skipper Morsy started his career with Vale having joined them in 2008 after being released by hometown club Wolves. He went on to make 49 starts and 29 sub appearances, scoring four times before moving on to Chesterfield in June 2013. Vale striker Ellis Harrison was with Town for the 2018/19 season, having been signing from Bristol Rovers by Paul Hurst, making nine starts and eight sub appearances and scoring once in an injury-hit campaign before being sold to Portsmouth the following summer. The Welshman joined Vale in August after a half-season stint with Fleetwood.
Tuesday’s referee is Andrew Kitchen from Durham, who has shown 34 yellow cards and one red in 12 games so far this season. Kitchen’s only previous Town match was the 2-0 win at Fleetwood in March when he yellow-carded Morsy, Luke Woolfenden and one home player. Squad from: Walton, Hladky, Donacien, Woolfenden, Edmundson, Keogh, Burgess, Burns, Davis, Evans, Ball, Humphreys, Camara, Harness, Edwards, Chaplin, John-Jules, Ladapo, Jackson.
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