Perhaps a welcome break from league football as Port Vale & Rochdale face off to decide who makes it to next stage of the EFL Trophy. All the pre-match information is available here!
It’s busy days for these teams as both were in action only a few days ago. There’s no rest for the wicked, or in this case; no rest for Port Vale and Rochdale.
Port Vale form and stats
Last season, Port's EFL Trophy journey ended in the 3rd round.2 victories, 2 draws and 1 defeat. That’s what Port Vale have to build on here at Vale Park in the League Two. The team is doing great wherever they are playing as Port Vale has won four games in a row. The Rochdale match was the last time out without a victory.
Port's last game was hosting Leyton Orient and winning 3-2. Some amazing scenes last match, when Jamie Proctor scored the winning goal three minutes into stoppage time. Midfielder David Worrall was the best player on the team with a rating of 7.65 (out of ten) in that game. Worrall served one assist, hit two key passes and dribled past the opponent 1 of 2 times.
In the preceding match a 1-0 victory visiting Scunthorpe United.This is expected to be a close game, with Port Vale perhaps considered small favourites due to their home advantage. Looking back at earlier matches similar to this one (expected to be close with Port Vale as a small favourite), we find 14 games. Port has won five of these, drawn six and lost three.
The manager D. Clarke will start preparations for the next game as soon this is finished, as the hosts are going to Sutton United in only four days.
The Port fans would probably like to see some more goals scored at their own stadium in the league, the tally being 7 in 5 matches. 5 goals have been conceded.
Rochdale form and stats
Rochdale was sent out of EFL Trophy in the group stage last season.The visitors are W2-D1-L2 on the road this term. That's in the League Two.
The attacking players of Rochdale have been feeble for some time now, the team not scoring a league goal in the last 220 minutes.
Two away games in a row for Rochdale, who will hope to get a better result in this one after losing 0-2 versus Bradford City in the League Two. Aaron Morley got a match rating of 8.1 in that game, top player of the team. Morley hit four key passes.
Preceding that, the 0-1 home loss versus Oldham Athletic.So, this is expected to be a close game, an even contest. Looking at earlier matches with Rochdale playing away and similar expectations, we found three relevant matches. Results were one Rochdale win, one draw and one defeat.
A quick return to home after this game, as Rochdale are hosting Crawley Town in the League Two only four days away.
The travelling fans enjoy Rochdale's attacking play in away games, having scored 9 goals in 5 league matches away. In the opposite end, Rochdale have conceded 9 goals in their away games.
Head 2 Head
Head-to-head statistics (for the former ten meetings): Port Vale won four games, one match ended with a tie and Rochdale have five wins. Over 2,5 goals / under 2,5 goals: six / fourTop Goalscorers
  J. Proctor 5 goals | B. Garrity 3 goals |  J. Wilson 2 goals |
Port Vale missing players
Rochdale missing players
| Port Vale | Rochdale | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 11 | Played | P | 12 | 25 | ||
| 11 | 4 | Won | W | 5 | 10 | ||
| 4 | 2 | Drew | D | 3 | 7 | ||
| 10 | 5 | Lost | L | 4 | 8 | ||
| 31 | 12 | Scored | S | 20 | 40 | ||
| 27 | 15 | Conceded | C | 21 | 36 | ||
| 88% | 82% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 96% | ||
| 64% | 73% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 92% | 80% | ||
| 36% | 55% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 58% | 60% | ||
| 16% | 18% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 50% | 40% | ||
| 16% | 18% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 33% | 20% | ||
| 36% | 45% | BTTS | BTTS | 58% | 60% | ||
| 40% | 36% | Clean Sheets | C S | 25% | 28% | ||
| 36% | 36% | Failed to Score | F T | 17% | 16% | ||
| 5 | 5 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 4.9 | 5.3 | ||
| 4.5 | 4.7 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 5 | 4.5 | ||
| 1.2 | 1.1 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1 | 1 | ||
| 3 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 0 | ||
| 10.6 | 11.5 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 12.1 | 12.5 | ||
| 4 | 3.3 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 3.7 | 3.8 | ||
| 33% | 36% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 49% | 45% | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Rochdale | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| 2 | Bolton Wanderers | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Port Vale | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 0 |
| 4 | Liverpool U21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 0 |
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Forest Green Rovers | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 12 | 23 |
| 2 | Harrogate Town | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 19 |
| 3 | Port Vale | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 18 |
| 4 | Leyton Orient | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| 5 | Swindon Town | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 16 |
| 6 | Exeter City | 10 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 14 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 15 |
| 7 | Barrow | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 15 |
| 8 | Bradford City | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 15 |
| 9 | Tranmere Rovers | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 15 |
| 10 | Northampton Town | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| 11 | Sutton United | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 14 |
| 12 | Newport County | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 14 |
| 13 | Hartlepool United | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| 14 | Crawley Town | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 10 | -2 | 14 |
| 15 | Salford City | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 12 |
| 16 | Rochdale | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 9 | -1 | 12 |
| 17 | Stevenage | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | -4 | 12 |
| 18 | Colchester United | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 4 | -2 | 10 |
| 19 | Carlisle United | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 9 | -6 | 10 |
| 20 | Bristol Rovers | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 17 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 | -8 | 10 |
| 21 | Walsall | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 15 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 8 | -4 | 9 |
| 22 | Mansfield Town | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | -5 | 9 |
| 23 | Oldham Athletic | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 | -10 | 7 |
| 24 | Scunthorpe United | 10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 | -11 | 7 |