Jon Brady hails Port Vale commitment despite remaining rooted to bottom

Port Vale manager Jon Brady has nothing but praise for his players’ commitment despite remaining rooted to the bottom of League One following a goalless draw with Huddersfield.

A gruelling fixture pile-up left Brady to field a makeshift defence against play-off hopefuls Huddersfield, but Port Vale valiantly withstood the visitors’ efforts in the first half and finished the game as the stronger side.

Brady said: “I’ve got four centre-backs out, I’ve got eight out altogether, we’ve got players playing out of position.

“Then Taylor Magloire breaks his nose in the first 20 minutes and it’s all over his face, and he pulls himself off the floor, knowing we’ve got nothing else, blood streaming down his face, and he plays on.

“We’ve had one training session with that back line training what we were going to do, and we got into a rhythm second half on that pitch, which is a joke to play on, to be honest.

“So people have to take perspective here: these boys are giving everything. They’re fighting all the way and that’s got to be commended brilliantly.

“To take on a side like Huddersfield and push them second half. If we make a couple of different decisions here and there, maybe we get a goal. But we dominated them on the ball.

“We’ve played five games to their two over the last two weeks, so for us to be the stronger team towards the end of the game, I have to praise the boys, no matter how the next couple go.”

Huddersfield boss Liam Manning was meanwhile left frustrated, despite his side remaining in the top six having overtaken Stockport.

Manning said: “It was a tough watch at times, but we reflected after [a poor performance last week against] Rotherham and wanted to play with more purpose, more intent, get the ball quicker, and to be fair, I thought the lads did that.

“We got into some really good areas, and in first half, especially, we played a lot in their half, had a couple of good moments, hit the bar, and had a couple of other really good opportunities.

“When I reflect on the game, it is frustration. I do feel like the lads gave everything, but just the quality on the finish, the cross, whatever it might be, wasn’t there at the end of it.

“It does come down to the final bit, which is what wins you games, and that’s the bit that we’ve been chasing a little bit, and the bit that we have to keep working on.

“I never turn my nose up at a point, but of course the objective was to come here and win.”