Port Vale boss Neil Aspin hails team spirit after first-half Pugh dismissal

Posted Saturday, March 31, 2018 by PA

Port Vale boss Neil Aspin praised how his team reacted after goalscorer Danny Pugh was sent off in first-half stoppage-time during their 2-1 win against Chesterfield.

Pugh gave the hosts the lead on the stroke of half-time when converted David Worrall’s low cross, but the midfielder was sent off in first-half stoppage-time for a reckless challenge on Jacob Brown.

Louis Reed curled in a wonderful free-kick from 25 yards to equalise for Chesterfield, but substitute Ben Whitfield proved to be a winner for Vale when he slotted home seven minutes from time.

Aspin said: “I spoke to Danny Pugh at half time and I think that it is harsh, I can see why the referee has made that decision his foot is slightly high.

“I think the player made a meal of it and it puts pressure on the referee to make that decision.

“It is a shame for Danny having just scored the goal and to go down to 10 men against a team who are good in possession, who are going to work the ball.

“They are probably the team you do not want to go down to 10 men against because they keep the ball.

“We deserve some praise today after going down to 10 men. We kept going and I am delighted to get the result.

“Now is the time to give Ben Whitfield praise because he has had to sit there for the last two weeks but he has repaid us today with him coming on and getting that goal.

“I think sometimes people look for reasons but we have never had a fallout between myself and Ben.”

Chesterfield manager Jack Lester was disappointed that his side were unable to capitalise on the sending off, in a game in which he felt his side would take home maximum points.

Lester: “At half time, I thought that we would go on and win it 2-1 or 3-1. That was the feeling in the dressing room. We thought we could really work the overload on a very good pitch.

“You get the equaliser and hit the bar at 1-1 and it is the little margins that you need to fall the right side of.

“Disappointed to concede at the end. I think that we did isolate the full-backs one versus one, that was a disappointing thing.

“At 1-1 that game absolutely was there for the taking and I felt that we should have gone on and won that game.

“I thought that we were on top for the first-half. They scored at a bad time we had a plan on how we were going to get back into the game and got back into the game.”