Port Vale 2 Sheffield Utd 1: No hiding place for Blades, says Adkins

Page’s Port Vale side took the lead in the 17th minute when Byron Moore swept home a low left-footed effort past Mark Howard.

Uche Ikpeazu extended Vale’s lead when his shot from 18 yards rifled off the underside of the crossbar past Howard.

The Blades scored a consolation in stoppage time when Matt Done, on his return from injury, saw his left-footed effort beat Jak Alnwick from the edge of the six-yard area.

Page hailed it their “most complete performance of the season” as Vale moved up to eighth and demoted United, who have won only one of their last six, down to seventh spot.

Page added: “Sheffield United are an excellent team. We stood strong initially and then imposed ourselves on them and I couldn’t be more pleased. I’ve also got to mention Jak Alnwick for his fantastic save from Billy Sharp just after half-time.

“It was the first thing I spoke about after the match because that was as good as a centre-forward scoring a goal.”

Adkins, however, was unimpressed with United’s efforts, saying: “I want to win football matches and we won’t win playing like that.

“It was a bad defeat and I won’t hide away from it. We need to go up this season.

“I look after my players and I back them up when possible, but I’ll have to take stock of that performance over the next few days.”

Port Vale: Alnwick, Purkiss, Duffy, Streete, Dickinson, Moore, Grant, Foley, Andoh, Daniel (Leitch-Smith 90), Ikpeazu (Dodds 74). Unused substitutes: McGivern, Birchall, Johnson, Hooper, Brown.

Sheffield United: Howard, Freeman, Edgar (Kennedy 46), Collins, Kieran Wallace, Basham, Baxter, Flynn (Adams 46), Coutts (Done 60), Sharp, Sammon. Unused substitutes: McEveley, Campbell-Ryce, Reed, Long.

Referee: G Salisbury (Lancashire).

Man of the match: Jak Alnwick.