Booth 27

Town's second-string were unlucky to lose this encounter at the Galpharm Stadium after a performance full of positives for the in-attendance Andy Ritchie. John Dungworth's men took a deserved first-half lead through Andy Booth but lost through two Danny Glover strikes in the second 45. The good news was that Frank Sinclair looked untroubled by his recent hamstring problem in his 45 minutes.

John Dungworth lined his team up in a 4-4-2 formation to start the game, with Simon Eastwood protected by (from left to right) Tom Jackson, Shane Killock, the returning Frank Sinclair and Danny Racchi. Captain Tom Clarke played in a defensive midfield position behind the trio of Luke Malcher, James Berrett and Mitchell Bailey with Lucas Akins and the legendary Andy Booth heading the Town attack.

Frank Sinclair showed just why he played at Premiership level for so long with a sublime 50-yard pass after just three minutes that set away Danny Racchi down the Town right, but his cross found the hands of the experienced Mark Goodlad in the Vale goal.

Three minutes later, a combination of flick-ons from Booth and Akins gave James Berrett a chance to shoot with his left foot from the edge of the box, but he scuffed his effort as the ball bounced up and it fell comfortably to Goodlad once more.

Despite Vale fielding a strong-looking side, including former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Craig Rocastle, Town dominated possession in the first ten minutes and the visitors didn't have any efforts on Eastwood's goal. Lucas Akins had a good chance to put Town ahead on the ten minute mark after a lucky bounce put him through but he scuffed his shot akin to his fellow Academy graduate Berrett minutes earlier.

It looked like the visitors would fashion their first effort on target after a 15^th minute foul by James Berrett on Joe Cardle around the edge of the Town box, but Danny Racchi closed down the Danny Glover free-kick well and then set off on a positive run of his own. Racchi played in Luke Malcher down the right, whose excellent cross had to be cleared for a corner with Booth lurking. From the corner, Shane Killock stung Goodlad's palms with a rasping drive at the back post.

However, Vale hit the post a minute later through lively left winger Cardle. He was put in on goal by a good pass from midfield that left Eastwood stranded, but the pacy wide-man could only hit the post with his attempted lob.

Town were almost punished when Mitchell Bailey gave away possession in the centre circle after 23 minutes, but Ross Davidson's touch let him down after a quick break gave him the opportunity to go around Eastwood and the ball went dead.

GOAL - Town took the lead after 27 minutes through the ever-reliable Andy Booth. After a good, patient passage of play that saw the Terriers keep the ball off their opponents, Mitchell Bailey picked out the veteran front-man with a brilliant left wing cross that left Mark Goodlad stranded in the Vale goal as Booth nodded the ball over him and into an empty net.

Shortly after the goal, a James Berrett shot from 25 yards forced Goodlad into a save.

The opener came at a time when Vale were just getting into the game after an opening 15-20 minutes that had been predominantly bossed by John Dungworth's side and was welcome reward after a flowing move.

Fans not at the game will be encouraged to hear that Frank Sinclair was showing no ill effects from his recent hamstring problem, as one lightning run in order to challenge Ross Davidson displayed after 35 minutes.

Simon Eastwood saved well with his feet after 37 minutes when a low ball across the Town box found Danny Racchi two-on-one at the back post, allowing Joe Cardle to get a shot away.

It was another Mitchell Bailey cross that caused havoc in the away box on the stroke of half-time, with Shane Killock eventually getting in the final header that went comfortably over the bar. However, it had been an impressive display from the second string in the first-half and they fully deserved their lead.

Half-Time: Town Reserves 1 Port Vale 0

SUB: With Frank Sinclair having completed the half that was expected of him with flying colours, he was replaced at the break by first-year Academy scholar Dave Pickering. Also replaced was Danny Racchi, who took a heavy knock from left-back Luke Prosser when delivering a cross at the end of the half. On for him was Spencer Harris. These changes saw Pickering slot in for Racchi at right-back, with Harris a straight swap for Sinclair in the centre of defence.

As the second-half commenced, it became clear that Dungworth had dropped Tom Clarke back into the centre of defence to help the Academy pairing of Harris and Killock.

Three minutes into the half, Andy Booth could have extended Town's lead but his header from a Bailey corner went just wide of Goodlad's left-hand post.

SUB - Port Vale made their first change after 56 minutes, replacing Cardle with Shaun Pike.

Shortly afterwards, Rocastle hit a rising drive that was never a danger to the Town goal.

Good play from Lucas Akins a minute later allowed Mitchell Bailey to hit a crisp shot from 25 yards that forced Goodlad into a low save at his feet.

Town were once again the better team after the break, combining well with each other in midfield to create good chances throughout. Killock had been impressively strong at the back for the Terriers but Mitchell Bailey was really catching the eye with a typically dynamic display in midfield.

SUB - Danny Broadbent - in really good form for the under-18s recently - replaced Andy Booth in the 62^nd minute in Town's final change of the evening.

GOAL - Port Vale got an undeserved equaliser in the 67^th minute through Danny Glover. It was a clever pass from James Lawrie that got the Vale striker in behind Shane Killock but as the big defender got back, Glover's shot took a massive deflection off Killock's outstretched leg to loop over Eastwood and into the goal.

It took an excellent block from a full-stretch Tom Clarke at the near post to deny Rocastle a clear shot at goal after 73 minutes after he skipped past a slipping Killock down the Town left.

GOAL - Port Vale took the lead in the 77^th minute through a second Danny Glover goal. Again, it was an excellent pass from strike partner Lawrie that split the Town defence, slipping the ball inside Shane Killock for Glover to beat Simon Eastwood low at his near post.

Town's efforts to get back in the game were led by Danny Broadbent, whose surging run and powerful shot forced Goodlad to palm the ball behind for a corner. The young Academy scholar had shown his great pace on a few occasions in the second-half.

Bailey was the next to test Goodlad with a 25-yard free-kick after Prosser had fouled Tom Jackson, but the custodian was equal to it.

SUB - As the 90^th minute approached, Port Vale replaced James Lawrie with Will Bown.

Town's Team:

Simon Eastwood, Danny Racchi (Spencer Harris 46), Tom Jackson, Tom Clarke (c), Shane Killock, Frank Sinclair (Dave Pickering 46), Luke Malcher, Mitchell Bailey, Andy Booth (Daniel Broadbent 62), Lucas Akins, James Berrett

Unused Subs: Daniel Codman, Dave Heagney