PRESSURE MOUNTING ON MOORE AS OLD BOY TOLAJ SENDS VALE ROCK BOTTOM

LORENT Tolaj returned to Port Vale to condemn his old club to bottom spot in League One as the pressure mounted on boss Darren Moore.

- Clive Youlton

The Valiants were beaten 1-0 in the bottom-two clash at Vale Park amid angry scenes in the stands as visitors Plymouth Argyle leapfrogged the hosts.

The Pilgrims had lost their previous six matches in all competitions but were still good enough to beat Moore's side who simply lacked quality all afternoon, until Funso Ojo's late introduction at least.

This was Vale's fifth League One match in a row without scoring a goal - a club record (stat courtesy of Phil Sherwin) - and although they had their chances, including Devante Cole missing a sitter, they couldn't find the net once again.

Moore's outfit have scored an embarrassing 11 goals in 17 league games and this display just about summed up how bad they have become in front of goal.

Once Tolaj had scored - 20 seconds into the second half - there was little chance of Vale coming back. They have only won once under Moore when going behind, a damning stat that continues.

They have the second worst home record in the entire EFL, with just one win, against Mansfield Town. They weren't able to change that here. Moore made just one change to the team who drew 0-0 the previous week against Wycombe Wanderers.

That was enforced as Marvin Johnson was sidelined through injury as expected and Jaheim Headley, dropped from the squad seven days earlier, came in as his replacement.

Mo Faal and Jordan Shipley were left out of the 18 this week, while George Byers was absent once again having been penalised for his poor displays by being jettisoned from Moore's thinking. Ryan Croasdale, who makes Vale look a better team when he is playing, sat for the duration on the bench alongside Jesse Debrah.

Vale had won six of their last seven against Plymouth in the league, keeping five clean sheets, but this was a different story.