LEAGUE WORRIES CONTINUE AS VALIANTS SLIP TO LOSS

SIX games without a win has undermined Port Vale's decent performances so far in League One and losing 1-0 to Reading was the latest setback.

- Clive Youlton

It's clear a lack of clinical edge is costing them and that was the case again here.

Two goals scored in half-a-dozen league matches is simply not good enough at this, or any level.

And apart from finding it difficult to score goals, once again this division proved that switching off for a second at the back can be costly as Reading executed a cracking winner from their point of view in the 66th minute.

Vale were too far off their men in firstly allowing a square pass to roll across their box and secondly to allow Paddy Lane the time to swivel and send a searing shot high into Joe Gauci's net.

Last season Vale were allowed to get away with errors at the back.

This season is a different story and they are getting punished.

The fact they can't score is only exacerbating the problem in what has been their worst start to a league campaign since 1967 - stat courtesy of Phil Sherwin.

Boss Darren Moore made two changes to the side that beat Birmingham City in midweek, bringing George Byers straight back in after his three-match ban and also including Mitch Clark.

Out went Jordan Gabriel, with a family issue, and Liam Gordon, who was on the bench, but Moore went largely with the team that found the winning formula he was seeking, in midweek at St Andrew's.

There was no sign in the squad of Ben Garrity, who had picked up a strain on the Friday, Connor Hall or Rico Richards while Dajaune Brown took his place among the substitutes following his loan move from Derby County. Brown was guilty of missing a one-on-one chance late in the game that could have rescued a point.

Vale started brightly and Rhys Walters was excellent. When the midfielder capitalised on an early mistake from Ben Elliott, he burst forward and carried the ball deep into the Reading half and inside the box where he won a corner.

It was the first of many good runs from the youngster.