Port Vale vs Stockport County Prediction
Vale Value Against Travel-Weary Stockport
Preview
Right then, let's have a proper look at this one. On paper, you'd think Stockport County would have this in the bag - they're sitting pretty in 4th place with 25 points, while Port Vale are down in 20th with just 13. But football's not played on paper, is it?
The big story here is Stockport's travel sickness. They're brilliant at home, won their last 6 there, but away from home? Absolutely woeful. They've lost 3 of their last 4 on the road, shipping 2 goals per game. That 4-2 hammering at Plymouth and 1-0 loss at Wigan show they just can't handle it when they're not in their own backyard.
Port Vale, meanwhile, have been decent enough at home recently. They've had some proper good results - that 2-0 win over Barnsley was quality, and they also beat Exeter 2-0 away from home. Yeah, they lost 0-2 to Arsenal in the League Cup, but that's Arsenal, innit? And they were unlucky to lose 1-0 at Wigan last time out.
Both teams are scoring goals for fun lately - Vale averaging 1.5 per game, Stockport the same. But when Stockport travel, they leak like a sieve. Conceding 2 goals per away game is not the form of promotion contenders.
The bookies have this as basically a 50/50 game, which to me is bonkers. Port Vale at home against a team that can't win on the road? That's value, my friends. The Vale have already shown they can beat decent sides this season, and Stockport's away form is shocking.
Key Points:
- Stockport County are 4th in the league, Port Vale are 20th
- Stockport have lost 3 of their last 4 away games, conceding 2 goals per game
- Port Vale have beaten Barnsley (2-0) and Exeter (2-0) in recent games
- Both teams average 1.5 goals scored per game overall
- Stockport are brilliant at home (6 straight wins) but terrible away
- The odds make this a near 50/50 game, ignoring Stockport's away form
I'm backing Port Vale here. The value's too good to ignore - a home side against a team with chronic travel sickness at even money? That's the sort of bet that pays the bills.