Match Report
On paper the standings were lopsided — Port Vale 14th with 60 points, Southend United 23rd with 45, 15 apart. The last five rounds placed Southend United 10th in the league for form — higher than their 23rd in the standings. Against a league average of 1.18 goals per team per game, Port Vale ran at 1.24 scored and 1.24 conceded, Southend United at 0.63 and 1.26.
Three consecutive defeats weighed on Southend United.
11 meetings are on record — 4 won by Port Vale, 4 by Southend United, 3 drawn, at 2.55 goals per meeting. The host's record in this fixture is thin — 36% of meetings won.
Vale Park in Stoke-on-Trent staged the fixture, a ground that holds 18,947. Port Vale led 4-0 at the break, and the second half added 2 goals for the 5-1 full-time score.