Port Vale: Vital statistics
PREVIOUS MEETING
League Two – April 11, 2009
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ROCHDALE 1
(Buckley 37)
PORT VALE 0
Rochdale avenged their 2-1 December 28 defeat as a bout of daydreaming cost the Valiants dear.
Will Buckley's first-half strike proved decisive as Vale went to sleep following a delay caused by an injury to Rochdale's Kallum Higginbotham.
When play resumed, Chris Dagnall enjoyed the freedom of the park to collect a throw-in, before his cross was fired home by a grateful Buckley from close range.
Rochdale: Fielding, Ramsden, Holness, McArdle, Kennedy, Higginbotham (Thompson, 37), Keltie, Toner, Buckley (Rundle, 89), Dagnall, Le Fondre (Madine, 74).
Port Vale: Martin, Stockley, McCombe, Collins, Edwards, Howland, Brammer (Richman, 64), Marshall, Taylor (Glover, 76), Lawrie, Dodds.
Attendance: 3,100.
FORM GUIDE
Port Vale: DLDLDW
Rochdale: DLDLDL
WHO WE'D LIKE TO BUY
Will Buckley. The tall midfielder is full of tricks and a force to be reckoned.
The 20-year-old scored 10 goals last season, and scored the winner against Vale in a 1-0 victory in April.
WHO TO BOO
Jon Shaw. Vale's defence will need to shed their inconsistent reputation to contain this big uncompromising forward, although Shaw will want to improve on the six-goal haul he achieved last season.
MAN IN THE MIDDLE
Jock Waugh (Yorkshire): His first Football League fixture tomorrow as he steps up from the Blue Square Premier Division.
PROBABLE TEAMS
Port Vale: Martin, Yates, Owen, McCombe, Collins, Taylor, Dodds, Griffith, Loft, Richards, Guy.
Rochdale: Arthur, Wiseman, Stanton, Dawson, T Kennedy, Buckley, Jones, J Kennedy, Rundle, Dagnall, Shaw.
PREDICTION
Vale open their league campaign with a solid 1-1 draw, after taking the lead through striker Marc Richards, pictured.
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