Stevenage Borough 0 Port Vale 1

Stevenage Borough suffered their first defeat at the Lamex Stadium in almost a year as Port Vale squeezed past Borough to go through to the second round of the FA Cup. Borough again exited the competition at the first hurdle, even though they took it a step further this time around.

It was an unchanged side from |Saturdays team that was a part of an eight goal thriller against Gateshead, though there was a return to the bench for Darren Murphy and Lee Boylan.

Borough showed their intentions right off the bat as Yemi Odubade was put through, beating the defence for pace and sending a looping shot towards goal that Chris Martin only just tipped over the bar.

It was a bright start from Borough with Cole and Odubade menacing the Vale defence, only to find the moves ended by the offside flag. The next good chance though came for Lewis Haldane who tried to loft the ball over Chris Day, but sent it inches off target.

As was the case on Saturday, Borough went straight down the other end and Odubade helped create yet another chance as he sent the ball to Charlie Griffin, whose snapshot was always curling wide of goal.

With twenty-four minutes gone Louis Dodds chased onto a poor back pass to Day who made a great save with his legs to deny him at first, but the ball went into the air and Dodds headed the ball into the empty net to give Vale the lead against the run of play.

It invigorated Vale who began to pressurise Borough, looking for their second goal but not creating a chance of note. Meanwhile Borough seemed stunned as they tried to get themselves back into a game that once again, they had had the better of.

Borough almost drew level on the stroke of half time when Drury set Henry off down the right to produce a fantastic cross into the area. David Bridges rose to head the ball but got the slightest of touches leaving the ball to hit Griffin straight on the head and out of play, as he clearly didn’t expect the ball to reach him.

Borough brought on Darren Murphy for the second half and came out with a new sense of urgency. Michael Bostwick moved alongside Mark Roberts in defence and Vale tried to test them from the start. However Borough almost took advantage of a rogue bounce as Griffin attempted to send his half volley past Martin, only to fire just wide.

That was a catalyst as Odubade sprang back into life and sent Cole through on goal. He beat the defence for pace and looked to have equalised when he rolled the ball past Martin, but the post denied him as the defence put it behind for a corner ball. Michael Bostwick rose for that, but sent it down the throat of a grateful goalkeeper.

Borough continued to probe and enjoyed their best spell of the game as they pushed Vale in the quest for a leveller. The game went up a gear and the temperature rose with a yellow card for both sides within two minutes of each other.

Borough were creating opportunities, but were unable to convert any of them, nor indeed trouble Martin in goal. Vale managed to relieve the pressure for a small period with fifteen minutes remaining but it was Borough who again made the chance as they countered. Odubade overpowered the defender to win the ball and send it across the goal, but Griffin could not get a foot onto the ball as it went harmlessly away from goal.

With Borough pressing forward the chance was always going to be there for Vale to counter and Kris Taylor almost made them pay when he made space for himself, but he powered the ball over the bar.

Again Borough pushed on and Drury’s free kick evaded everyone in the box as it teased Borough fans and rolled tantalisingly through the box and past the oncoming Roberts. Minutes later Odubade had Borough hearts in their mouths again with a powerful shot that again went wide.

Unsurprisingly, Port Vale were in no rush, holding up the ball at every opportunity. There were four added minutes but Borough could not find a way through the Vale defence. Borough had given it their all in the second half, and will be disappointed not to have at least taken the game into extra-time. It’s an exit, but one they can make with their heads held high.

Stevenage Borough (4-4-2) C Day - R Henry, J Ashton (Sub: D Murphy, 46), M Roberts, S Laird (Sub: J Byrom, 86)- A Drury, M Bostwick, D Bridges (Sub: P Vincenti, 80), M Cole - Y Odubade, C Griffin
Substitutes Not Used: A Bayes, E Odhiambo, L Boylan, C Beardsley
Booked: Odubade

Attendance: 2,894