Port Vale: Furious Adams rants at lacklustre Valiants

by Michael Baggaley

Stafford Rangers 0

Port Vale 1

MANAGER Micky Adams is less likely to beat about a bush than bulldoze through it, so his Port Vale players can't have been entirely unprepared for the reception awaiting them after this outing at Stafford Rangers.

Trialist Kevin Thornton's late goal gave the Valiants a 1-0 win after a laboured performance, but that wasn't enough to spare them Adams's wrath.

Leaving his sheepish squad in the Marston Road changing rooms, he cleared his throat like a firing squad loading their Lee Enfields.

He began: "That was an unacceptable performance.

"There was no enthusiasm, which I'm surprised about. I think, individually, they let themselves down.

"We got the basics, and the basics of defending wrong, particularly in the first half.

"A performance like that will never be acceptable to me whether we win lose or draw.

"I am shocked by that performance; shocked and disappointed. If I get a performance like that on August 8, then we are in trouble."

Adams exempted goalkeepers Chris Martin and Stuart Tomlinson from criticism, along with youth-team substitute Sam Morsy.

But the only outfield player from the starting line-up he could find a kind word about was Anthony Griffith, who, after some consideration, he labelled 'enthusiastic'.

Vale didn't look a whole lot better than their Blue Square North opposition, but Adams's reaction is possibly his way of preventing them from resting on their laurels after beating Premier League Wolves last week.

This was a day for blunt speaking, never more so than midway through the first half when captain for the day Gareth Owen, tore into his pal and former Painsley High schoolmate Adam Yates.

A consequence of playing friendlies in front of a few hundred fans is that outbursts are heard which would usually be drowned out by the hubbub of a few thousand at a league match.

A printable version of Owen's views would be along the lines of: "I say, Old Bean, I can't help wondering why you ventured so far out of position. Please return to your rightful spot, pronto."

The true version had mothers shielding their children while, high in the main stand, chairman Bill Bratt considered covering the ears of his vice chairman Peter Jackson in the neighbouring seat.

The no-nonsense Owen knows what he's talking about, having skippered Stockport to promotion from League Two in 2007-2008.

He and Tommy Fraser lead the running for the captaincy in one of several unresolved issues ahead of the arrival of Rochdale for the season opener in less than a fortnight.

The formation also remains under consideration as Adams dropped his recently favoured 3-5-2 line-up to use a back four at Stafford.

Griffith was employed as a holding midfielder allowing Doug Loft, Louis Dodds and trialist Kevin Thornton to break forward in support of Marc Richards and Danny Glover.

The system might get another run out because Adams took the view that the lacklustre performance was because of poor individual performances, rather than the formation.

Vale were a little lucky to win, having relied on Stuart Tomlinson to make an excellent sixth-minute stop from Nick Wellecombe, before Stafford's Andy Owens headed against the bar three minutes after the break.

But Rangers keeper Lee Evans made a smart 33rd-minute stop from Loft, who had a decent game.

The most interesting performance, however, came from trialist Thornton, who showed he was worth a second look long before he controlled Sam Morsy's attempted shot before steadying himself and sweeping the ball left-footed past Evans for the only goal four minutes from time.

The 23-year-old made 50 league appearances in the Championship for Coventry and it was easy to see why as he skipped through challenges, looked comfortable on the ball and stroked passes around with his left foot.

The hitch is that the attacking midfielder is carrying a little extra padding. In fact, judging by Adams's assessment, the proprietors of the excellent Vale Cafe are more enthusiastic about his trial spell than the manager.

"I'm running a football club, not a fat club," he observed, before advising the player to try the Atkins Diet.

However, Adams is an admirer of the player, having given him his debut at Coventry and then taken him on loan at Brighton last season.

Thornton is convinced that training with a club and playing games will get him fit, in which case Vale could have a gem, if they can raise the funds for a contract.

Adams said he doesn't know yet whether Everton intend to make a bid for James Lawrie, who has returned from a week's trial at Goodison and is now away on international duty.

In the meantime, the manager is skint, a point he made forcefully to the media last week by offering to strip off so we could search his pockets.

Considering Adams's preference to tell it straight, it is hardly surprising he is getting on so well with long-serving coach Mark Grew.

After all, Grew's legendary rant at Leyton Orient two years ago had United States government boffins scratching their heads as their satellites picked up an apparent nuclear test in the Leytonstone area of East London.

Hopefully, Adams will have no need to try to surpass that effort this season. However, players be warned, he seems more than capable.

Stafford Rangers: Evans, Francis, Vauls, Thorley, Wilson, Owens (Page, 59), Morgan (Hulme, 71), Moult (Rodgers, 84), Wellecombe, Mills (Miller, 76), Proffitt (Hill, 71). Subs: Hulme, Rodgers, Miller, Hill, Page, Harrison, Allen.

Port Vale: Tomlinson (Martin, 45), Yates, Owen, Collins, K Taylor,

Griffith, Thornton, Loft, Dodds, Glover (Morsy,71) Richards. Subs: Beeston, Martin.

Attendance: 608.