Match Report
On paper the standings were lopsided — Sheffield United 1st with 100 points, Port Vale 21st with 49, 51 apart. Recent form flatters Port Vale's table spot — 17th league-wide over the last five rounds while sitting 21st. Scoring rates set the scale: Port Vale 1.96 scored and 3.04 conceded per game, Sheffield United 4 and 2.04, with the league averaging 2.57.
Three consecutive wins preceded this game for Sheffield United, having scored in 10 consecutive games. Recent form was uneven: 4/15 points for Port Vale, 13/15 for Sheffield United.
9 previous meetings sit in the GioScore records — Port Vale 3, draws 0, Sheffield United 6, at 2.67 goals per meeting. This has been a host's fixture — the home side won 78% of the meetings. Goals tend to flow: 78% of the meetings produced three or more, and both sides scored in 67%.
The match was played at Vale Park in Stoke-on-Trent (capacity 19,052). Sheffield United led 2-0 at the break, and the second half added 1 goal for the 0-3 full-time score.
Goal scorers
Sheffield United: J. O'Shea (2'), Leon Clarke (30'), M. Done (90')
Key stats
Possession: Port Vale 49% · Sheffield United 51% · Total shots: 5-8 · On target: 4-5 · Corners: 3-5