Port Vale: New boss Darren Moore says 'we've stopped the rot' despite late draw

29 February

New Port Vale boss Darren Moore says it is still important to have "stopped the rot" despite not hanging on to clinch his first win since taking charge.

Moore's men had lost their first three games under him prior to Tuesday's home 2-2 draw with Charlie Adam's Fleetwood.

Vale led 2-0 with two minutes of normal time left, but were hauled back by two late Jayden Stockley goals.

"We have to get over the adversity that went against us, not being able to see out those final minutes," said Moore.

"It was definitely two points dropped but, at the same time, it stops the rot of those seven defeats in nine games," he told BBC Radio Stoke.

Vale's long run of miserable form goes all the way back to mid-September.

After winning five of their first seven League One games this season to sit joint top of the third tier, they have now won just three times in 26 League One games - a run that triggered the sacking of Andy Crosby - and have now slipped four points adrift of safety.

"The players are giving everything to the cause," added Moore. "They are just unfortunate that any little mistake is getting punished.

"At the moment it feels like we have to have almost the perfect game to get over the line. The concentration levels have got to be spot on. We didn't see that result coming. We just had to do our jobs, but it comes down to lapses of concentration and we get punished.

"The challenge we face is stopping the rot in getting this team performing and getting the feeling of adulation back."

Vale have 13 games left to avoid a return to League Two, which they left via the play-offs in 2022.

They face a tough task this Saturday against second-placed Derby County, one of Moore's old clubs, followed by a key local derby trip to fellow strugglers Shrewsbury Town the following weekend.

Darren Moore was talking to BBC Radio Stoke's Phil Bowers

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