Wins prove to be elusive for Valiants on road trips

PORT Vale had a frustrating time on a couple of away trips.

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CLIVE YOULTON continues his review of the Valiants’ season...

PHIL Bowers believed it was Port Vale’s style of play that divided opinion between those who backed manager Darren Moore and those who didn’t.

Not that the BBC Radio Stoke commentator and long-term fan stated it was any more than a small minority of dissenters among the Valiants fanbase.

Ultimately, that small number were made to eat their words as Moore led the club to promotion.

Vale had stuttered against two teams in the bottom five of League Two in their last two outings with draws against Tranmere Rovers and Harrogate Town.

As an ex-defender it’s natural that Moore placed an emphasis on not losing games and Bowers said: "If we are going to be balanced and even, I think a majority of fans do want him and feel he’s doing a good job.

"I think there is a vocal minority who still have reservations, particularly with his style of play. I think that is the dividing line between the people backing him and the people who aren’t backing him.

"Because they feel his style of play is cautious. What I would say to that is, in some games that’s absolutely spot on. Notts County at home for example, they weathered a bit of a storm, hit them, won the game and took all three points.

"I always say this. No-one ever remembers how you go up, they just remember that you go up."