'IT'S TOUGH BUT WE STILL HAVE A CHANCE'

F-PORT Vale could turn the clock back and start 2024 all over again, you'd bet they would do it in a heartbeat.

- John Lyons

The Valiants signed off from 2023 in style with a convincing 3-0 home success against Blackpool and lay a comfortable 14th in League One.

However, they headed into yesterday's match against Oxford on the back of a 13-match winless run that had seen them tumble down the league into the relegation places.

Manager Andy Crosby paid the price as the slide took hold and in came former Sheffield Wednesday and Doncaster manager Darren Moore. However, hopes of a new manager bounce didn't materialise and Vale picked up just two points from his first seven games at the helm.

The first came in a 2-2 draw at home against fellow strugglers Fleetwood at the end of last month, but it must have felt like a defeat after sub-Jayden Stockley struck twice at the death to salvage a point for the visiting Cod Army.

The second came in Tuesday's goalless draw at playoff-chasing Leyton Orient and provided a greater degree encouragement. Having switched to four at the back, Vale looked solid and composed in defence, giving them a platform to build on.

Goalkeeper Connor Ripley also pulled off some fine saves when he was called into action, most notably tipping Ruel Sotiriou's powerful shot onto the crossbar when the O's sub raced through one-on-one.

It might not have provided the win Moore craved to really get his reign up and running, but it was a step in the right direction and suggests the boss is beginning to get his message across.

Appointed on a five-and-a half year contract that made many raise their eyebrows given the time usually afforded to managers these days, the 49-year-old doesn't want to begin his tenure by taking Vale into the fourth tier.

"It is a long-term project at the football club and we want to keep the club moving forward, but, let’s not make any mistake about it, we are looking at the here and now,” he told The FLP after the midweek draw in the capital.