Port Vale: Same again suits Micky Adams for tough Fleetwood Town test

MICKY Adams is planning to fight fire with fire to extend Port Vale's winning run.

The manager insists he won't change his attacking philosophy for tonight's tough test at fellow high-fliers Fleetwood Town.

The free-scoring Valiants have won three league games in a row and are unbeaten in five matches going into the encounter at Highbury Stadium (7.45pm).

But the big-spending home side, one of the pre-season promotion favourites after clinching the Blue Square Premier title last year, have also hit a rich vein of form with four successive victories.

FREE - CV review

BlueSky CVs

View details

Print voucher

Would you like a professional to review your CV and give you some constructive feedback?
contact BlueSky CVs for an honest review

Terms: 1 per person

Contact: 01538 710408

Valid until: Friday, May 24 2013

Adams, though, is more concerned about how his own team approach the game.

"We won't change our mentality," he said.

"If we turn up and play as we think we can and do the right things, then I'm not really worried about anybody.

"Fleetwood are a good side and they're a confident group. We'll know what they're good at and the individuals they've got – my players will be aware of them.

"And it would be foolish to just say let them worry about us – we've got to be tuned in to what they're all about.

"I've watched their last two games on DVD and we're expecting a difficult game.

"But it's about us really. When we do everything right and we play at a tempo, we look as though we're a match for anybody at this level."

It's second against third, of course, but Adams, whose side are above their hosts on goals scored, played down the significance of such things at this stage.

"We're still in the very early stages of the season and there'll be plenty of twists and turns to come," he added.

"The league table won't really take shape until we're 10 or 12 games in.

"But I'd rather go to Fleetwood second in the table than in the bottom echelons of the division and not looking forward to the game quite as much.

"This game and the one (against leaders Gillingham) on Saturday are only significant at the moment because the teams we're playing are as confident as we are and have picked up points.

"We won't know their true significance until the end of the season."

Adams is expected to name the same team for the eighth game in a row and has been further boosted by the news midfielder Darren Murphy is fit to rejoin the squad following a hamstring strain.

"We've had a long spell with an unchanged team and I've never had anything like it in my career," he added. "We're obviously getting the preparation right.

"We're a confident side and that's pleasing. But I want us to be confident and not cocky and there's a fine line between the two.

"It's about applying ourselves properly in the lead up to games, and then taking that confidence we've gained into them.

"If players are complacent, it can lose us games and it will get them out of the team, so there's plenty to play for."

Myrie-Williams looks for goals galore: Page 42