Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.JOHN RUDGE, Port Vale's veteran manager, spoke afterwards of "a titanic struggle". The imagery was as apposite as it was unfortunate, for neither Vale nor Stoke City did much in yesterday's derby to dispel the impression that they are going down with all hands from the First Division.
Results on Saturday had anchored the Potteries rivals to the bottom two places. A decisive outcome would have raised one of the sides out of the last six, but both played as if avoiding defeat was their priority. The stalemate leaves Vale and Stoke with just three wins between them in the last 40 League fixtures.
Chris Kamara, still seeking his first victory after eight matches in charge of Stoke, remains certain Stoke will avoid relegation as his Bradford team did on last season's final day. "There were only four clubs involved then," he said. "There are 11 who could get dragged in now."
Sadly, from the point of view of preserving top-level Nationwide League football in the city, all are performing better than Vale or Stoke. In mitigation, both Rudge and Kamara pointed to a badly cut-up pitch - there was also a fierce wind - but as the latter admitted, he was glad he had not paid to get in.
Nearly 14,000 did, at least half supporting Stoke. The attendance represented a drop of 33 per cent on the first Vale Park confrontation of the modern era, a decline in interest that can not be excused entirely by high unemployment or by fears of hooliganism.
Perhaps the most violent moment this time came when Vale's Jan Jansson felled Ally Pickering with a crude retaliatory foul. The referee, having missed the provocation, compounded his error by neglecting even to book the Swede despite a long chat with his linesman.
Mr Rejer still made fewer mistakes than almost any of the players. An early goal might have broken the tension, but Stoke's Larus Sigurdsson blocked Martin Foyle's goalbound drive while Peter Thorne was not ruthless enough at the other end.
Half-time was beckoning when Neville Southall, making his debut for Stoke on loan from Everton, made his first save. The man he thwarted, the pounds 1m- rated Gareth Ainsworth, had a frustrating day, being well policed by the Australian, Danny Tiatto.
Strange to think that when they met in October, Vale were cruising in eighth place and Stoke in 11th, blissfully oblivious of the icebergs which now loom large.
Port Vale (4-4-2): Van Heusden; Carragher, Hill, Glover, Tankard (Snijders, 57); Ainsworth, Bogie, Porter, Jansson; Mills (Naylor, 88), Foyle. Substitute not used: Corden.
Stoke City (5-3-2): Southall; Pickering, Sigurdsson, Tweed (Crowe, 72), Whittle, Tiatto; Wallace, Kavanagh, Forsyth; Lightbourne, Thorne. Substitutes not used: McKenzie, Heath.
Referee: P Rejer (Tipton).
Bookings: Vale: Tankard, Hill, Snijders, Ainsworth. Stoke: Wallace, Whittle, Tiatto.
Man of the match: Tiatto.
Attendance: 13,853.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments