Port Vale reach EFL Cup quarters for first time

31 Oct 2023

Alfie Devine scored the game-winning goal for Port Vale in their recent match. This goal marked his third successful attempt in the 14 games he has played for Port Vale since he started playing for them on a temporary basis, having previously belonged to Tottenham.

Port Vale made history by defeating Mansfield and securing their spot in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals for the very first time.

Alfie Devine, who is currently on loan at Tottenham, scored an impressive solo goal that helped his team win against their opponents from League Two. The victory was a narrow one, but it was enough to allow the League One team to advance.

The Stags' 20-game undefeated streak, which began at the end of the previous season, came to an end with the loss.

On the other hand, Vale's record in the last eight league games has been poor as they only managed to secure two points and scored a meager four goals in that duration.

Vale has only been to the fourth round once and it ended in a loss at Tottenham Hotspur in 2006. Mansfield also has a history in the League Cup, making it to the last eight in 1975 but ultimately losing 4-2 against Manchester City.

At the beginning of the match, Ollie Arblaster from the visitors shot from far away, but Christy Pym, the Stags' goalkeeper, managed to save it. Later on, when the game had moved to the other side, Davis Keillor-Dunn was stopped in his tracks as Jesse Debrah blocked his attempt to score on Connor Ripley's goal.

The Valiants made progress towards scoring a goal after 14 minutes. Arblaster discovered Tom Sang and he sent a pass from the right, but Funso Ojo failed to aim his header properly and missed the chance to score at the far post.

Arblaster was very close to scoring when he hit the outside of the goal post from a short distance away after another risky cross from Sang on the side.

Ripley made an excellent save by relying on his instincts to stop Keillor-Dunn's shot that was heading towards him after receiving a pass from Louis Reed. Vale almost scored again, as Uche Ikpeazu managed to outmaneuver his opponent and pass the ball to Ben Garrity, but he couldn't manage to shoot as he was surrounded by defenders.

The critical juncture came about five minutes after the opposite direction when Devine, who is nineteen, took quick action and dove on a loose ball in the middle. He then pushed through and made a shot from a considerable distance outside the penalty area. The ball went across the ground, and Pym couldn't stop it, leading it to the bottom corner of the net.

During the game, Pym made an excellent save to prevent James Plant from scoring a second goal for Vale. This happened around the one-hour mark after Vale had some good moves towards the goal. On the other hand, Ripley also made a great save towards the end of the game to stop Mansfield's Rhys Oates from equalizing.

During an interview with BBC Radio Nottingham, Nigel Clough, who is the manager of Mansfield, shared his thoughts.

I personally thought our performance in the first half was below par. It was possibly the poorest display we've had in a long while. However, we managed to hold our own and not concede any goals, making it a welcome relief when halftime arrived.

"They exhibited a higher level of skill, as they belong to the League One instead of League Two group of players, which was apparent based on their composed handling of the ball."

We never quite figured them out in the beginning of the game - even though we had a few opportunities, we couldn't manage to put the ball in the net.

In my opinion, the latter part of the game was more balanced. We kicked off the second half strongly and scored a goal even though it wasn't entirely expected. We were determined to challenge our opponents in the second half and we succeeded.

During an interview on BBC Radio Five Live, the manager of Port Vale, Andy Crosby, made a statement.

This is a remarkable accomplishment for the entire club. The proprietors have exerted a considerable amount of time and energy to lift the club from its former dire state. When they took over, the club was in a severely problematic situation.

Moreover, it's a wonderful accomplishment for a team of athletes who are gaining knowledge as we progress. The display portrayed tonight was perhaps one of our finest - I perceive that we demonstrated great precision with the ball.

We were aware that it was a daunting task and we didn't feel entirely optimistic while they were very confident. However, the stakes were high and there was a lot to gain for both teams. It would be a significant achievement for either team to reach the quarter-finals and make history.

Ever since we triumphed over Fleetwood in the first round, we've been excited about the possibility of facing a top-tier team. As a manager in League One, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to reveal my preferences among the six Premier League teams. Instead, we'll wait to see who we get matched up against and relish the opportunity to play them. It'll be an exciting game for us to anticipate.

The game has come to a close, with Mansfield Town failing to score a goal and Port Vale winning with a score of 1.

The conclusion of the second half has come with the final score being Mansfield Town 0 and Port Vale 1.

James Gale from Mansfield Town missed his attempt with a shot from his right foot outside the box, as it went off course towards the left direction. Aden Flint had given a headed pass to assist him in this shot.

The wait is finally over. They are now prepared to proceed.

The game has been temporarily stopped due to a physical injury sustained by James Plant, a player from Port Vale.

The effort has been stopped. Davis Keillor-Dunn from Mansfield Town tried to score by heading the ball from the middle of the penalty area, but it was obstructed. Stephen McLaughlin gave him a hand in setting up the attempt by passing the ball in from the wing.

At the corner of the field, Port Vale lost possession due to Stephen McLaughlin's mistake.

In the corner of the field, Port Vale fell short after Hiram Boateng made a mistake.

A substitution has been made by Port Vale. Jesse Debrah was replaced by Lewis Cass due to an injury.

The holdup has ended. They are prepared to proceed.

Mansfield Town makes a substitution by bringing on Baily Cargill to replace Louis Reed.

The game experienced a pause due to the harm of Jesse Debrah, who plays for Port Vale.

Rhys Oates (Mansfield Town) committed a foul.

Jesse Debrah from Port Vale is granted a free kick in the defensive area.

Jason Lowe gave away a corner to Mansfield Town.

Effort disrupted. Rhys Oates (Mansfield Town) tries to shoot from the left at a tricky angle but it's stopped.

Josh Thomas from Port Vale has received a caution and has been shown the yellow card.

Davis Keillor-Dunn (Mansfield Town) committed a violation.