Port Vale 2 United 2
United more than played their part in a cracking match at Vale Park, after coming back from a goal down United took the lead but were pulled back by an excellent equalizer in a game played in swirling wind and rain.
United boss Paul Buckle made two changes to the line-up which lost at home to Rotherham on Saturday; skipper Chris Hargreaves and striker Scott Rendell came in to replace Tyrone Thompson and Tim Sills with both players dropping to the bench. Loan signing Adam Smith again started at left back with Chris Zebroski starting wide on the left of midfield.
United had a glorious chance inside the first sixty seconds after Lee Mansell intercepted a pass out of defence from Port Vale and slotted Elliot Benyon in with a precise pass but the United striker shot wide from 16 yards when he could have taken another touch and should probably have hit the target.
Four minutes later and United almost fell behind after a break from Vale down their left finished with Michael Poke making a superb save with his feet from McCombe and Mark Ellis clearing off the line after Dodds shot from the resultant play.
In the ninth minute it was United's turn to attack and from a corner the swirling wind caused chaos in the Vale penalty area and Wayne Carlisle got onto a hook by Scott Rendell but his volley went high over the crossbar when a heading option looked the better bet. After ten minutes it was unlikely that a 0-0 draw was in the offing!
We didn't have long to wait for that first goal; a long ball from Griffith bounced off Taylor and fell at the feet of Doug Loft who couldn't miss and the Gulls found themselves a goal behind.
Goal: Port Vale 1 (Loft 12) United 0
United were straight back on the attack and Chris Hargreaves tested Martin in the Vale goal with a strong drive that was well held by the home 'keeper. Seconds later and Michael Poke produced a superb save to tip a Richards shot onto the post and safety as the action continued at a pace.
United had given as good as they got and in the 17th minute Nicky Wroe smashed an unstoppable shot past Martin into the top right corner from 20 yards after some good build up play by the Gulls outside the Vale area. It was Wroe's seventh goal of the season and no more than United deserved with both teams playing exciting, positive football and the Gulls proving very effective down the wings.
Goal: Port Vale 1 United 1 (Wroe 17)
More excellent play by United involving Nicky Wroe and Chris Hargreaves finished with Scott Rendell shooting from thirty yards and forcing Martin into a tip over the bar. From the resultant corner Mark Ellis headed three yards over but more goals looked on the cards in such an open game.
The match settled down into a far more sedate affair with a long spell containing plenty of effort but all the scoring chances seemed to have been used up. As the half ticked down to the break United two golden opportunities to take the lead. Wayne Carlisle struck a swerving thirty yard shpt that Martin could only push out and Elliot Benyon had reacted quickest but the Vale 'keeper made a smart one handed save as Benyon tried to chip the ball over him. Moments later and another United attack finished with Chris Zebroski turning on the edge of the Vale area and beating Martin with a right foot shot, unfortunately for United the ball hit the post and bounced into the arms of a watching Martin.
One goal each at the break and a very entertaining affair with no reason for United to think they couldn't take all three points come the end.
Half-Time: Port Vale 1 United 1
No changes at the break and the conditions had deteriorated since the first period with a rain now joining the strong wind. Vale started slightly the better and Michael Poke was happy to see a Haldane shot squeak wide and the Gulls' 'keeper made another fine save to deny Richards, who had got the wrong side of Chris Robertson on a free-kick, from point blank range.
Chris Hargreaves produced a last gasp challenge and concede a corner as the home side broke down United right with the wind also seeming to back them up. Plenty of pressure at the start of the half for United to endure and a succession of corners put the United defence right up against it but they were standing firm.
Poke was called into action again to palm away a long range shot from Loft as the home side tried to capitalize on their increased possession. On the hour mark United made their first change with Tyrone Thompson coming on to replace Elliot Benyon. Tyrone slotted in behind Scott Rendell in an otherwise unchanged formation.
For all the pressure they had exerted on United, Port Vale hadn't retaken the lead and they paid the price in the 67th minute. Wayne Carlisle found a moment of time and space to look up from the right wing and pick out a rising Scott Rendell who directed his header superbly out of the reach of Martin and give United the lead. Could they grab all three points?
Goal: Port Vale 1 United 2 (Rendell 67)
After the goal United were looking solid and, if anything had the better of things but Vale weren't finished and from open play substitute Rob Taylor, from nothing, curled a superb right foot shot that gave Poke no chance, 2-2 and all to play for.
Goal: Port Vale 2 (Taylor 76) United 2
Adam Smith followed Lee Mansell into the referee's notebook after a foul on Haldane as the game started to get even more competitive. Both teams were looking for a winner which was admirable given the conditions.
With eight minutes to go goal scorer Scott Rendell was replaced by Tim Sills in a straight swap that certainly wasn't going to make the home defence's night any easier. Sills was inches away from getting on the end of a Wayne Carlisle cross as the match continued to be an end-to-end affair. Nicky Wroe picked up a booking for a trip as four minutes of added time were announced, was there going to be a winner?
In blustery conditions both teams put on a very entertaining ninety minutes and there was plenty for Bucks to take out of this ahead of the trip to Stockport on Saturday.
Full-Time: Port Vale 2 United 2
