Port Vale boss John Askey: Winning when you are not playing well is a good sign
Posted Sunday, October 06, 2019 by PA
Port Vale boss John Askey believes his side are showing signs of being able to challenge for promotion despite leaving it late to beat 10-man Morecambe 3-1.
Captain Tom Pope ended his goal drought, stretching back to the opening day of the campaign, to fire Vale to victory with a second-half brace.
John O’Sullivan had given the struggling Shrimpers the lead before Jordan Cranston was sent off in the 32nd minute for lashing out at David Worrall.
Luke Joyce opened his Vale account with a thunderbolt before Pope’s brace finished the job and made it three League Two games without a defeat.
“I think we have the second best home record in the league and to keep that going keeps everyone believing,” said Askey.
“If you get your home form good and pick up points away that is promotion form.
“Today wasn’t good enough for the majority of the game but if you are winning games when you are not playing well that is good.
“We can play better and we were helped by the stupidity of their player.
“We’re playing some really good football at home and I’m proud of the players for their continual performances.
“I wasn’t too pleased today, but we managed to grind out the result in the end and that’s all that matters really.”
Askey was delighted his talisman Pope found the back of the net and hopes it is a sign of things to come.
“I’m delighted for Tom to be back among the goals. We knew they would come eventually because of how good a player he is,” added Askey.
“We’ve been getting results without our usual top scorer scoring the goals for us.
“I’m sure he’ll kick on from here because he’s a quality player and a Tom Pope scoring goals is a dangerous weapon to have.”
Morecambe manager Jim Bentley felt Cranston’s dismissal changed the game.
The Shrimpers were ahead before being left to fend with 10 men for almost an hour.
Bentley said: “We were doing really well, had the lead and were creating chances when Jordan was sent off.
“It changed the whole complexion of the game and gave them the chance to get back into it.
“I was really proud of the lads and the way they defended but once they scored one it was always going to be difficult.
“We tried desperately hard to hang on for a point, but they were too strong for us in the end.
“We’re disappointed, it’s a case of what could have been had things not gone against us like they did.
“We need to try and turn things around, we showed some good signs in the first half.”
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