Andy Crosby ‘immensely proud’ as Port Vale end difficult week with dramatic draw

Posted Sunday, February 20, 2022 by PA

Port Vale assistant manager Andy Crosby said he was immensely proud of everyone at the club after the Valiants ended a difficult week by snatching a last-gasp equaliser at high-flying Tranmere.

Prior to the match, Vale players and staff wore shirts with the message “Thinking of you Gaffer” with boss Darrell Clarke this week having taken a period of leave after a close family bereavement.

And the players then pushed to the very end to grab a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser through half-time substitute Jamie Proctor after Josh Hawkes had given second-placed Tranmere a 50th-minute lead.

“[It was] thoroughly deserved,” Crosby said.

“I thought we controlled long periods of the game. We recognise what a good side they are.

“They’ve shown real consistency throughout the season to get themselves into that position and we’re the first team to come and score in the last 15 minutes of the game.

“I’m immensely proud of every single member of this football club this week.

“It’s been tough.

“Every single member of staff, every supporter has done this club proud today.”

The result extend Vale’s unbeaten run to six matches and the Valiants remain in ninth place, four points outside the play-off spots.

Tranmere, meanwhile, are now on a three-match winless run following back-to-back away defeats at Walsall and Hartlepool.

It had looked as though Hawkes’ strike would prove to be winner for Rovers, with the 23-year-old latching onto a pass from striker Kane Hemmings before slotting the ball under goalkeeper Tomas Holy.

Hawkes’ goal made amends for his glaring miss in a first half short on goalmouth action, with the winger somehow dragging a shot well wide on his favoured left foot after being played in by Elliott Nevitt.

Manager Micky Mellon was left to rue his side’s inability to see out the game.

“Because it’s so raw and it’s so near the end of the game we’re obviously very gutted because we’d done so well throughout the game and then just that one little moment to get punished with is a sore one,” the Scot said.

“But that’s football, that’s the way it goes.

“It feels now as though it’s two points dropped because we were in that position.

“But listen, this is a tough league and sometimes that happens.

“We had to do better in that moment, that’s for sure.

“But another point and that’s all we can do – take that point and move on.”