Port Vale vs Doncaster Rovers. Sky Bet League One.
Vale ParkAttendance4,775.
Port Vale dominate Doncaster in easy 3-0 win
Saturday 22 August 2015 22:39, UK
Port Vale dominated from start to finish and should have beaten Doncaster by an even wider margin than the 3-0 final scoreline.
It was all Vale in the opening stages and they should have taken an 11th-minute lead after Gary Mackenzie fouled Enoch Andoh to concede a penalty.
But Sam Foley's spot-kick was aimed only slightly to Thorsten Stuckmann's right and the giant visiting goalkeeper dived to make a comfortable save.
Vale continued to pour forward and Stuckmann was forced to make a save out of the top drawer to keep out a Louis Dodds header which looked destined to hit the net.
But incessant pressure was finally rewarded in the 35th minute when Foley atoned for his penalty miss with a well-placed header from Carl Dickinson's left-wing cross, guiding the ball just inside Stuckmann's left-hand post from 12 yards.
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Vale could have been out of sight at half-time and it took them just two minutes to extend their advantage after the break.
Uche Ikpeazu, who endured an unsuccessful loan spell at Doncaster last season, fastened onto a pass from Dodds and dribbled past two defenders before curling a low left-foot shot inside Stuckmann's right-hand post from 14 yards.
Dodds should have added number three before a shot from Doncaster substitute Curtis Main drew sarcastic cheers from 350 visiting fans.
But Vale were soon back on top and wrapped up their victory two minutes from time when Byron Moore's right-footed back-heel from Ben Purkiss' low cross from the right rolled inside Stuckmann's right-hand post.