Yates: Four is the magic number for Valiants on defensive front

ADAM

- Clive Youlton

Yates believes Port Vale must stay with a back four after three positive results including the 2-2 draw at Luton Town in League One.The former Valiants defender, who was a regular in the side for a decade from 2009 and a player who made more than 500 Football League appearances during his career, thinks the shape suits the Vale players far better.

Having employed it against Barnsley in the EFL Trophy and Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup, Darren Moore decided to stick rather than twist at Kenilworth Road and it was another good performance.

"He kept the back four and I think that's been important," Yates told BBC Radio Stoke.

"The players have been under a lot of criticism this year, not least from me, but I think they have maybe tried to take the onus a little bit back on themselves and got more positive results."

Moore has plenty of wing-backs out injured, with Mitch Clark, Jordan Gabriel, Marvin Johnson and Liam Gordon among them so his hand has been forced to a degree.

"You look at what the manager has done and he's obviously been reluctant to play a back four and for one reason or another they've been forced to do it or chosen to do it as a group and management team," added Yates.

"I think what it does get is that lone striker that we have always felt he has wanted to play, with one up top and a three in behind."