Yates: I'd put Stockley with Cole to lead Valiants' attack

FORMER Port Vale defender Adam Yates believes Jayden Stockley would be the perfect partner to play alongside Devante Cole.

- Clive Youlton

IDEAL DUO: Adam Yates says Jayden Stockley, main, and Devante Cole, inset, would be his strike pair.

The 42-year-old believes Stockley would not have been satisfied being omitted from the team that played Maldon & Tiptree in the FA Cup. In fact Stockley was left on the bench altogether in the 5-1 win and was overlooked in the starting lineup behind Wrexham loanee Mo Faal.

Speaking on BBC Radio Stoke, Yates said: “I don’t think there is a set second centre-forward that Darren Moore wants to pick with Devante Cole who is a shoo-in.

“He's been brilliant since he’s come in. He's got goals at this level, he’s got a great pedigree and he’s got real pace. He's quiet and unassuming but he has made a brilliant impact.

“The others will all think they deserve to start pretty much every week with Devante but Darren Moore just doesn’t seem to want to pick somebody week in, week out. It's anyone's game”

Stockley, Mo Faal, Ruari Paton, Ben Waine, Dajaune Brown, Ronan Curtis and even George Hall - who was used up front at AFC Wimbledon - are contenders.