Southend United 0, Port Vale 0

GOALKEEPER Chris Neal produced a man-of-the-match display to

help Port Vale pick up a hard-earned point on the road.

The stopper made a string of fine saves to keep Southend at

bay and, with their big guns firing blanks for once, the Valiants were forced

to settle for a share of the spoils.

While boss Micky Adams is likely to be happy with a point,

he'll be less impressed by a booking for Ashley Vincent which means the winger

will now be suspended.

The Vale side showed two changes to the one held to a draw

by Rochdale in midweek. Rob Taylor replaced the injured Doug Loft at left-back,

with Louis Dodds taking an unfamiliar central midfield role in the absence of

the suspended Sam Morsy.

Sean McAllister was included on the bench after joining the

club on an initial eight-week contract.

Vale were looking bright early on and Ben Williamson had

already had a shot from the edge of the penalty area saved before Dodds went close

to giving the visitors the lead.

Taylor burst between two defenders on the left before

delivering a low cross that was cleared only as far as Dodds, but his shot was

blocked at close range.

Vale had the ball in the net after 17 minutes, but Vincent was

ruled to have used his hand to control a Tom Pope knockdown before steering the

ball into the net from close range. He was booked and now faces a one-match ban

for his fifth caution of the season.

Neal was in the action again after 24 minutes when he dived

to his right to brilliantly turn away a stinging volley from Gavin Tomlin.

And Tomlin went close again soon after, getting the better

of McDonald down the right before racing inside to fire a shot against the

outside of a post.

At the other end, Williamson burst on to Pope's lay-off and

produced a powerful cross-shot which was well saved by Southend keeper Paul

Smith.

Tomlin went close once more with an angled drive which

crashed against the far post with Neal well beaten and, as the home side built

up a head of steam, the Vale keeper was called on twice more in the space of

two minutes. First he kept out Assombalonga's shot from the edge of the area,

then dived full length to his right to keep out Tomlin yet again.

When Neal couldn't cut out a low cross from the right five

minutes from the break, Chris Barker looked odds-on to score, but Joe Davis

launched himself at the left-back's shot to make a crucial last-gasp block.

Jennison Myrie-Williams, uncharacteristically quiet up to

now, burst into life with a long run down the left which ended with a shot

which was well kept out by Smith.

Pope went tumbling under a challenge at the start of the

second half, sparking claims for a penalty that were waived away by referee

Gavin Ward.

United mounted a sustained spell of pressure which culminated

in a shot from former Vale loanee Marc Laird which was blocked by Pope, then

Neal came to the rescue again with another important save, this time to deny

Assombalonga.

Southend did much of the pressing from then on, but failed

to truly threaten as the visitors mounted a stout defence and Vale should have

won at the end of normal time. Vincent ran through on goal but shot too close

to keeper Smith, who made the block. The ball ran free to Pope inside the area,

but his shot was blocked by Mark Phillips.

Southend United: Smith, Clohessy, Cresswell, Phillips,

Timlin, Hurst (Corr, 70), Mkandawire, Laird, Timlin, Assombalonga (Eastwood,

86), Tomlin. Subs not used: Bentley, Prosser, Leonard, Spicer, Woodyard.

Port Vale: Neal, Yates, Davis, McDonald, Taylor,

Myrie-Williams (Duffy, 89), Dodds, Burge, Vincent, Williamson (Shuker, 68),

Pope. Subs not used: Johnson, McAllister, James, Lloyd.

Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey)

Attendance: 4,876