Port Vale 3 Doncaster 0: Dickov bemused by lacklustre performance

DONCASTER Rovers’ manager Paul Dickov bemoaned his side’s lack of cutting edge as they dropped out of the play-off spots.
Doncaster Rovers' manager Paul Dickov (Picture: Steve Uttley).Doncaster Rovers' manager Paul Dickov (Picture: Steve Uttley).
Doncaster Rovers' manager Paul Dickov (Picture: Steve Uttley).

Dickov sent on three strikers after the break, but it proved to be to no avail.

Byron Moore struck three minutes from time from a tight angle to wrap up victory for Vale after first-half goals from Mark Marshall and Frederic Veseli.

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After witnessing his side’s lacklustre performance Dickov said: “There’s a lot of disappointment. We contributed to our own downfall, especially in the first half.

“One thing we have been doing recently is defending really well, but for the first goal we gave the ball away in a silly area and let them break on us. Stephen (Bywater) held his hand up for the second, but he’s been great since he came in.

“We lacked a cutting edge in the final third, but credit to Port Vale.”

Conditions were poor at Vale Park, and the manner in which the home side handled them was key to their victory.

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Rovers were slow to settle and struggled to find the rhythm of recent months as the ball repeatedly slowed on a heavy surface.

Rovers had gradually eased into the game after Marshall had given the hosts a sixth-minute lead on the break after a careless mistake from Kyle Bennett.

But they were hit with a sucker-punch on 38 minutes when Veseli went for goal from 40 yards and the ball skidded under Bywater into the corner.

Port Vale: Neal, Dickinson, Inniss, Robertson, Veseli, Moore, Brown, O’Connor, Marshall (Birchall 85), Pope, Williamson (Dodds 71). Unused substitutes: Yates, McGivern, Johnson, O’Sullivan, Lines.

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Doncaster Rovers: Bywater, Wabara, McCombe, Butler, Stevens, Wellens, Bennett, Furman, Razak (Ikpeazu 64), Forrester (Main 46), Tyson (Robinson 75). Unused substitutes: Evina, McCullough, Marosi, Whitehouse.

Referee: K Stroud (Hampshire).

Man of the match: Michael O’Connor.