Six games in the English Football League this weekend have fallen victim to freezing conditions gripping the UK.

Saturday’s Sky Bet League One matches between Cheltenham and Carlisle and Port Vale and Wycombe were both postponed due to frozen pitches.

League Two games at AFC Wimbledon, Bradford, Mansfield and Swindon were also called off, with temperatures dropping to minus 7C in some parts this week.

“A Football League appointed match official conducted an 11am pitch inspection at the Completely-Suzuki Stadium this morning,” read a Cheltenham club statement on Friday.

“After consultation with the Football League the decision has been made to postpone tomorrow’s fixture.

“The frost covers have been on the pitch all week, but temperatures for the past two nights have fallen so low that a considerable amount of frost has got into the pitch.

“On balance it was felt that temperatures are not forecast to rise high enough to remove the frost before kick-off so the decision has been taken to postpone the match.

“The timing of the decision has also taken into account the considerable journey faced by opponents Carlisle and a desire to inconvenience them as little as possible.”

Wycombe’s fixture at Port Vale also fell later in the day following a pitch inspection.

Mansfield, who quickly announced that Sutton will now visit on Tuesday, said: “Frost covers have been in place on the pitch for 10 days as part of the club’s efforts to protect the pitch from sub zero temperatures as well as industrial hot-air blowers.

“Temperatures in Mansfield, however, have been as low as minus 7C. Following a pitch inspection by an EFL appointed referee the pitch has been deemed unplayable.”

Bradford reported sub-zero temperatures of up to minus 7C this week ahead of their Yorkshire derby with Doncaster, saying areas of the Valley Parade surface had been left frozen.

The Bantams added: “Frost covers, effective to minus 4C, have been covering the pitch since last Friday, with every effort made to host the fixture.”

Wimbledon said of their Plough Lane fixture with Crawley being called off: “Every effort was made to get this game on by our staff, and volunteers helped to cover the playing surface earlier this week to protect against the elements.

“However, the pitch was today deemed to be unplayable with parts of it still frozen.

“Though temperatures are due to increase by mid-morning on Saturday, conditions are still predicted to be low at this time, so there’s no guarantee that the pitch would be playable by 1.45 pm when it’s needed for pre-match.”

Swindon’s home game with Tranmere was also postponed on Friday.

Reading manager Ruben Selles fears that the club may be forced to play home games behind closed doors “maybe for the rest of the season” after their League One match against Port Vale was abandoned.

Play was halted at 0-0 in the 17th minute after around 1,000 home fans invaded the pitch in the latest protest against Chinese owner Dai Yongge, who is trying to sell the club.

After repeated PA announcements for the fans to leave the pitch – including a threat of the game being called off – a hardcore group of about 40 stood in the centre circle and refused to move back to the stands.

Both clubs consulted with the EFL over the situation but at 4.25pm, the game was abandoned and will be restaged at a later midweek date.

“We know that there could be repercussions,” Selles said. “A points deduction is unlikely, but it can happen.

“It could be that we play with an empty stadium for one or two games or even the rest of the season.

“There could be a financial punishment, of course.

“It’s a big variety of things and it will be up to a panel of experts to decide.”

Selles added: “We knew that something was going on (the planned on-pitch protest) from reading the social media and all its comments.

“Basically, I had a decision to make. The decision was to come here to compete and don’t get distracted by those things.

“If it happened, we will just take it. Sometimes, with social media, things never happen. So if you lose focus and concentration, you can be late into the game.

“You can then lose the game because you were not ready in the key moments.

“Then it happened and we just took it as it comes. We went inside, people (the fans) made their point clear and the game got postponed.

“After the pitch invasion, I made sure that our players and their (Vale) players were all inside the players’ tunnel.

“Not that I was worried about the situation. I knew that our people (the fans) were not going to make any stupidity in that way.

“The invasion was not aggressive, it was passive. It was just to make the point.

“Listen, I’m sympathetic with the fact that we all want the best for Reading football club.

“I think our fans are proud with what the team is doing, the way in which we are playing and competing.

“But the fans are getting frustrated about the similar things that we are.

“I’m sympathetic but, really, what I want is just to play football matches and win football matches.”

Vale manager Andy Crosby was not available for comment on the abandonment afterwards.

But the club later posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Today’s Sky Bet League One match against Reading has been abandoned. We’d like to thank our supporters for making the trip to Berkshire and wish you a safe trip back.”

Reading’s League One match against Port Vale was abandoned after hundreds of home fans invaded the pitch to protest against the club ownership of Dai Yongge.

The game had already been held up for three minutes early in the first half when tennis balls were thrown on to the playing surface at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

Then, after 16 minutes, referee Ross Joyce took the players into the dressing rooms when the home fans entered the field of play, some letting off blue flares.

After approaching the Vale fans, some of whom applauded them, most of the home fans started to leave the pitch.

But many of them then returned and staged a sit-in in the centre circle.

Many Reading fans want the owner to sell up following a number of sanctions imposed by the EFL.

A statement posted on Reading’s X account read: “We are fully aware of and understand our supporters’ frustrations, but we must reiterate to our supporters that entering or throwing items on to the pitch can put the fixture at risk of abandonment and can result in personal consequences including banning orders.

“Thank you for your support today.”

As Reading fans continued to stay on the pitch, the club made two announcements over the PA system.

They stated that once the fans had returned to the stands, the game could resume.

As the supporters remained on the pitch, stewards guarded both goalmouths.

The Port Vale fans began to grow tired of the protests, chanting they had “made their point” and should leave the pitch.

A further announcement over the PA system said that, unless the pitch was cleared, the match would be abandoned.

It added that it would go “along with the consequences” of a possible points deduction.

As the game continued to be held up, reaching the half-hour mark, some Reading fans who had remained in the stands began to boo those on the pitch.

It also appeared that some of the stadium floodlights were being turned off, as if in preparation for an abandonment.

Port Vale fans also began to chant: “We want our money back”.

There remained a tight cordon of stewards around the entrance to the players’ tunnel, with the players having remained in the dressing rooms throughout.

Around 300 Reading fans remained on the pitch and at 3.56pm officials from both clubs were in contact with the EFL fixtures management team to discuss “the best course of action”. The game was eventually called off at 4.25pm.

:: Bolton’s League One match against Cheltenham was also abandoned. This was due to a medical emergency in the crowd.

Port Vale boss Andy Crosby felt it was about time his side beat one of the bigger sides in League One after their 3-0 victory over Blackpool.

Ben Garrity’s opener was added to after half-time by James Wilson and Nathan Smith for a first win in three matches as Vale ended 2023 on a high.

And Crosby reserved particular praise for the likes of youngsters Ben Lomax and Jack Shorrock, who made their first League One starts as he effused about his side’s performance against the Seasiders.

He said: “It was a really good performance, both with and without the ball. There were four academy players in the 18, three on the pitch at once, like the two young boys who started the game making their full league debuts.

“I thought they were absolutely incredible, but I also think the senior players they had around them really looked after them within the game.

“We probably spent a little bit less time in the build-up phase today and we utilised the strengths of Uche (Ikpeazu) maybe a little bit earlier.

“It’s about time we beat a team here. It’s been a struggle for us since we’ve been in League One to beat one of the bigger clubs at home.

“We’ve been competitive this season against Bolton, Peterborough, Derby and lost by the odd goal, and we said before the game can we go and put a performance together both with and without the ball to be deserving of three points and I think we were.”

Neil Critchley felt Blackpool paid the price for not taking their opportunities before the Valiants went ahead as he lamented his side’s away form, but praised how the Seasiders kept going.

He said: “It’s a really tough night for us. For the first 35 minutes up until their goal, I thought we were in control of the game, had some good opportunities, don’t take them and with their first chance, they score.

“That’s the way it’s going for us away from home at this moment in time. We have a good chance to equalise after half-time, it goes straight at the goalkeeper, and then we get a deflected shot with their first chance after half-time that deflected straight over the goalkeeper and we’re 2-0 down and we’re chasing the game.

“We’re not getting that little bit of the rub of the green that sometimes you need in the penalty box and the big moments are going against us.

“But what I did see is, I saw a team that kept going right to the end. I thought their body language was very good and they were positive and that’s important because we need to stick together.”

Barnsley manager Neill Collins hopes his side learn from their mistakes in the second half after they held off a fight back from Port Vale to win 3-2.

Adam Phillips opened the scoring before John McAtee added a quickfire brace, including a stunning strike from 35 yards for his second, to make it 3-0 after 37 minutes.

But Vale fought back after the break, with Ethan Chislett and Jack Shorrock both finding the net to make the scoreline much more respectable.

Victory keeps the Tykes in seventh spot in the League One table, two points outside the play-offs.

However, Collins believes his team should have put the game to bed and pinpointed a good chance for Herbie Kane, which was well saved by Connor Ripley just moments before Chislett earned Vale a lifeline in the 72nd minute, as an opportunity to do that.

“In the first half, I thought we were outstanding,” he said.

“I thought the quality of our goals was excellent, I thought we looked a real threat, I thought we looked comfortable defensively.

“So everything that was probably good about the first half was negative about the second, particularly the last 20 minutes.

“I thought we started a bit slow coming out in the second half, then we had a little period where we looked like a threat again and we probably should have made it four when Herbie Kane goes through.

“Port Vale got their goal and we had to make certain changes – some we made decisions on and some were forced.

“And I thought once they got their tails up, we struggled to cope with it.

“But I can’t take anything away from a great three points. I think we tend to have games like this in the Christmas period, and hopefully we learn from it.”

Defeat for the Valiants brought their three-match unbeaten league run to an end and saw them drop one place to 16th.

Boss Andy Crosby was left to rue an extremely disappointing first-half display, but was pleased with how his side responded.

“What was happening in that first half, we looked devoid of anything,” he said.

“The second half reaction is more like I want us to be.

“We played with pride, we played with enthusiasm, we played with quality.

“I can’t mask over that first-half performance and it’s something that I have to apologise to the fans for, because it was really poor.

“There’s a number of things – if you don’t track runs into the box, if you don’t defend balls into your box, you’re going to get hurt because of the quality of the opposition.

“They’ve obviously got a number of really good attacking options. They’ve got a good team. That’s why they are where they are in the league.

“And when you’re giving that much space and freedom to play, they’re going to hurt you.”

Barnsley continued their push for a place in the League One play-offs with a 3-2 win away at Port Vale.

Adam Phillips opened the scoring before John McAtee added a quickfire brace prior to half-time.

Ethan Chislett and Jack Shorrock both scored after the break to make the scoreline a lot more respectable, but Vale’s three-match unbeaten league run came to an end.

The hosts came close to taking the lead as Alfie Devine’s long-range effort went narrowly over the crossbar.

But it was the visitors who went ahead in the 17th minute when Phillips guided a header into the net after meeting a beautifully flighted delivery into the box from Herbie Kane.

Chislett threatened to equalise with a well-struck shot that was tipped over the crossbar by Liam Roberts, but the Valiants fell further behind just after the half-hour mark as Luton loanee McAtee stroked the ball home from Devante Cole’s cut-back.

The match was effectively over as a contest in the 37th minute when McAtee’s sensational strike from 35 yards – after Mael De Gevigney dispossessed Ryan Loft – made it three goals in two games for him.

Chislett found the net in the 52nd minute as Vale battled to find a way back into the game, but it was ruled out for offside.

The same player reduced the deficit 20 minutes later, with a bending right-footed shot, to give his side hope.

And although Shorrock headed in fellow substitute Uche Ikpeazu’s cross in stoppage time, Andy Crosby’s men were unable to find a leveller.

Boss Michael Carrick has urged Middlesbrough to seize their chance after reaching the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

Jonny Howson, Morgan Rogers and Matt Crooks eased them into the last four with a 3-0 win at Port Vale.

The Championship side reached a major domestic semi-final for the first time in 17 years, since losing to West Ham in the last four of the FA Cup in 2006.

An injury-hit Boro made light work of their League One hosts to avoid an upset and are the only EFL team left in the last four.

Carrick said: “Sometimes in your career there are times and you have to make the most of the opportunity when it comes your way.

“When the door opens you have to run through it and the boys certainly sprinted through it.

“We’re not stupid. We know whoever’s left in the draw probably wants to play us and see it as a chance to get to Wembley.

“It’s a hell of an opportunity. It’s about us and what we can achieve. You’re in a semi-final and it’s motivation and inspiration itself.

“It was a fantastic attitude and mentality. We’re decimated in terms of numbers in the squad but it’s part of the journey and we’re enjoying it.

“We’re in the semi-final and who would have thought it, it’s a great thing to look forward to. Who knows what will happen next, we’ll see who we get.”

Howson opened the scoring after 11 minutes when his 25-yard strike clipped Jason Lowe and looped in over Connor Ripley.

Vale, who demonstrated plenty of endeavour, tried to recover but fell further behind after 23 minutes when Sam Silvera crossed for Rogers to find the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Gavin Massey lifted Vale’s best chance over from close range and Crooks wrapped up the victory eight minutes into the second half, bullying his way through and finding the bottom corner.

The hosts lost Oliver Arblaster to a serious leg injury and boss Andy Crosby admitted they were second best.

He said: “We are trying to play in a way in our own league, with control and counter pressing but as soon as there was space on the transition you could see the difference between the players.

“They executed the finishes well, maybe got a bit of luck with the first which took a deflection over Connor but they deserved to win the game and hopefully they can progress in the semi-final.

“Ollie has a really bad gash around his knee, it’s gone right through to the bone and he’s gone to hospital. He has been so good for us and he’s our number one concern.”

Middlesbrough cruised into the Carabao Cup semi-finals after breezing past Port Vale 3-0.

Jonny Howson, Morgan Rogers and Matt Crooks fired the 2004 winners in to the last four with a comfortable win at Vale Park.

Boro had not made a major domestic semi-final since losing to West Ham in the last four of the FA Cup in 2006.

Vale’s big night – their first League Cup quarter-final – was ruined by the incisive and efficient visitors within 23 minutes.

Gavin Massey missed the hosts’ best chance but Boro boss Michael Carrick, a two-time winner with Manchester United, ultimately navigated a tricky tie with ease given their injury problems.

So depleted were the visitors that Carrick named four substitutes without a senior appearance, including 17-year-old Law McCabe, but it was the experienced Howson who fired them ahead after 11 minutes.

Boro had threatened through the middle and the midfielder was able to easily find space. With defenders giving him time, the 35-year-old needed no second invitation and his 25-yard shot clipped Jason Lowe to loop over Connor Ripley.

Missing 10 players due to injury and resting Rav van den Berg, with an eye on their bid to stay in touch with the Championship’s play-off pack, the visitors had a platform.

Ethan Chislett curled an early free kick over and plucky Vale – 15th in League One – had nothing to lose, only for a second Boro goal after 23 minutes to seal the game.

Again, it was a simple build up with Sam Silvera winning the ball on the right and he kept his composure to pick out Rogers on the edge of the box.

The former Manchester City forward was left completely unmarked to stroke a fine low finish into the corner – his fourth goal of the competition.

Yet, far from shrinking, Vale kept going and should have pulled a goal back three minutes later only for a stretching Massey to lift over from close range.

Boro should have been out of sight just before the break when Crooks shot over but it was just a warning as the midfielder struck eight minutes into the second half when he barged his way through and drilled into the bottom corner.

Worse was to follow for the hosts when Oliver Arblaster was carried off with a serious leg injury just before the hour.

It sucked the life out Vale and, from then, Boro were happy to see the game out and Ripley denied Calum Kavanagh a debut goal when the visitors threatened a late fourth.

Port Vale boss Andy Crosby heaped praise on hat-trick hero Ethan Chislett following his side’s 3-2 win at home to Wigan.

Chislett’s first two goals were cancelled out by the visitors but his third was enough to clinch victory and lift Vale above Wigan in the table to 15th.

Crosby said: “He’s a top player and credit goes to him because the finishes are great.

“He could’ve probably had a few more but it’s great for him, he hadn’t scored since August and now three in one game.

“We’ve tried to look at how we can improve his goalscoring ability. I showed him clips of all his goals over the past four years and he said it gave him a whole lot of confidence.”

The two first-half strikes looked to put the hosts out of sight, but a comeback from Wigan after the break squared things up.

Chislett’s incredible solo effort in the 82nd minute wrapped up the win.

“We do a lot of work on the opposition and how they press and how we can break through that press.

“You have to play through teams but then you also need to penetrate on the last line as well. It is important we get our wing-backs on the last line.

“When you find that rhythm and that connection receiving the ball in space then it can go on to affect the game.

“When the players came over after they got back into it, I just said ‘don’t look at the scoreboard or the time. just play the game’.

“We were still in control of the game at that point, even with our poor moments which we have to get better at.

“They’ve got really good attacking players and they should obviously have more points because of the deduction and the quality they have got.”

Latics boss Shaun Maloney was frustrated with his side’s first-half performance but gave his players credit for getting back into the game.

“Today we got hurt, and when our levels are slightly down in any game we can get hurt,” he said.

“We have to give Port Vale a lot of credit, they were very good.

“From my team’s point of view, we are not going to win games when we are like that, but the second half was everything and if we lose then that’s how we want to go out.

“The goal before half-time wasn’t the issue. If we had gone in at 1-0 it would have probably been unfair to Port Vale.

“They were miles ahead of us. I want to win every game, I think we have been on a really good run and this one hurts in particular.

“We needed the fans and they stayed with us. In the second half, we gave them everything and full credit to the players for that.

“I can accept getting beat with a performance like that in the second half.”

Relieved Stevenage boss Steve Evans praised his side’s character after beating Port Vale on penalties to progress into the third round of the FA Cup.

Battling Boro overcame 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to set up a trip to minnows Maidstone.

Ben Garrity’s brace put Vale two goals to the good before late efforts from Harvey White and Kane Hemmings, in the sixth minute of stoppage time, sent the game to extra time.

Ryan Loft scored a first Vale goal in the 115th minute but Nathan Thompson forced penalties and Stevenage stopper Taye Ashby-Hammond was the shootout hero as he saved spot-kicks from scorers Garrity and Loft.

Evans reflected: “We don’t do things the easy way.

“First things first, if you’ve come to the stadium as a neutral then this is a fantastic cup tie. You must be on the edge of your seat at both ends.

“When we get into the game and Harvey gets a goal I think we’re totally, totally dominant.

“When it goes 2-2 we know extra time’s coming but we think there’s only one winner because we had a lot of chances.

“To have the character the group has got to come back and score again to take the game to penalties is incredible.

“For the first 60 minutes we didn’t look like we wanted to be in the FA Cup, but for the last half-hour plus extra time we did.”

Vale boss Andy Crosby insisted his side only had themselves to blame after they crashed out.

After seeing his side crumble from 2-0 and 3-2 up, Crosby admitted: “We’ve thrown the game away twice. To concede a last-minute equaliser in normal time and then exactly the same thing happens in extra time, that makes it very tough to take.

“To go 2-0 up against a team who are third or fourth in our league was pleasing, but then we lost control of the game a bit and they can do that to you.

“The game wasn’t over at full-time, there were 30 minutes left. We go back in front again and look at the clock and think ‘we need to see this out now’. We’ve got to defend our box better than we did.

“The guys have given everything but we can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We’ve only got ourselves to blame.

“It takes bravery to take a penalty in any situation in a shootout. Those guys have stood up, penalties get missed. It is what it is.

“Life is tough at times, you take the hits and you have to get up again and move forward.”

Goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond was the hero as Stevenage secured their place in the third round of the FA Cup with a 4-3 penalty shoot-out victory at Port Vale.

After a 1-1 draw at Boro last time, another 120 minutes could not separate the two sides in the replay at Vale Park as they drew 3-3 after extra time.

Ben Garrity scored either side of half-time to put Andy Crosby’s hosts two goals ahead.

He opened the scoring after just six minutes as he tapped home from close range before he hammered in a second after Alfie Devine nodded a cross into his path 10 minutes after the restart.

Harvey White’s unstoppable near-post strike pulled one back before Kane Hemmings sent the game to extra time in the sixth minute of additional time.

Ryan Loft’s first goal for the club, in the 114th minute, again seemingly sent Vale through before Nathan Thompson sent the game to penalties.

It was then a painful penalty shoot-out for the hosts as scorers Garrity and Loft saw their spot-kicks saved by an inspired Ashby-Hammond, either side of Luther Wildin smashing his over.

Steve Evans’ side now have a trip to non-league Maidstone, who are playing in the third round for the first time since they reformed in 1992.

Port Vale boss Andy Crosby urged his squad to stick together after their 1-0 defeat to in-form Derby.

Arsenal loanee Tyreese John-Jules came off the bench and scored with his first touch as the Rams made it four wins on the spin.

For Vale it’s an 11th league game without a win, a run which stretches back to mid-September.

And Crosby said: “It was a game of fine margins. They take advantage of a blocked clearance and it falls perfectly for their wide player, he executes an inch-perfect cross and the forward scores a good finish.

“We walk away being defeated 1-0. I thought we had better spells with the ball.

“The game kicks you doesn’t it. You have to fight and stick together during this difficult period.

“The dressing room and the whole football club. We don’t let the cracks appear because when that happens it just continues.

“We have to look after each other, boost each other and give each other confidence and belief.

“When you have senior players like I have in there and the management staff I have, we know how the players are feeling.

“They crawl off the pitch at the end of the game when you’ve been beaten 1-0 by one of the bigger clubs in the league.

“We’ve pushed them, but unfortunately come off the wrong side of the result.”

Rams’ first-team coach Matt Hamshaw stepped in for Paul Warne’s media duties.

And he said: “It’s a great feeling. It’s a difficult place to come to so to win 1-0 and a clean sheet, we’re really pleased.

“JJ wrote his own script by scoring with his first touch. He’s been disappointed with injuries since coming in so a huge shout out to the medical team for getting him right.

“It was a huge squad effort. It was a really good night. A huge thanks to the fans who stuck with us all season.

“It’s tough for players when they get injured, but I don’t feel that sorry for him, he’s had a good career already being at Arsenal!

“It’s brutal as a player when you’re not playing. You just want to be part of the team. But you feel out of it, no matter what the gaffer does.

“I’m just really pleased for him. He’s a great lad, let’s hope he stays fit because he’s a huge asset for us.”

Boss Andy Crosby wants Port Vale to “demand more of each other” after his side lost 2-1 to Shrewsbury to remain without a league win in over two months.

The Valiants’ last victory in the league was in the middle of September, beating Northampton 1-0 at home, and it is now 10 games without a win.

After securing their place in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup and the second round of the FA Cup, Crosby wants their cup form to translate into the league.

He said: “We are talking about another performance with control of the ball, domination of the ball, getting into really good areas of the pitch, number of shots, but we need to be more resilient as a group.

“We have to demand more of each other as a group because we did a lot of preparation coming into the game on how they could hurt us and it would probably be a direct ball or a counter attack or set play.

“We go in 1-0 down at half-time and we re-emphasised that point that their next goal from how they played first half would be from one of those reasons.

“We get punished three minutes into the second half, which is really disappointing.

“I thought the reaction was good; we continued to dominate the ball and we created opportunities from set plays and had a number of shots and shots blocked.

“We worked there keeper but at the end of the day we have lost another game and it has been a similar game to what we had previously in this run of games.”

Shrewsbury boss Matt Taylor was pleased with the response of his players.

He said: “Every result we have had this season, I would argue, has been hard-earned.

“It feels really sweet. I questioned the players very honestly and openly during the week and what they have done is what they have done recently at home a lot and found a way to win a game of football.

“If I look at the aspects of the game in terms of did we keep the ball well enough, no, but we defended our box apart from that one set play really well.

“Unbelievable result at home. I was over the moon for Max Mata to get his goal which was long overdue.

“Hopefully now what that does is give him the opportunity to kick on and get more goals and do what he was brought to the club for. I thought he was really good.

“Dan Udoh, an unbelievable individual goal. He has done that now this season two or three times, so he was really pleased to get the win.

“All credit to Port Vale, they will be disappointed they haven’t got anything from the game from the amount of chances they have had.”

Andy Crosby was delighted with his Port Vale side as they secured a second-round tie at Stevenage with a 2-0 victory over Burton in their FA Cup first-round replay.

Gavin Massey set Vale on their way, with a poacher’s finish continuing some good form from the winger.

Substitute Lewis Cass grabbed the second goal with eight minutes remaining, providing an impact from the bench that Crosby was looking for.

“I thought we were excellent tonight from start to finish,” Crosby said. “Both with and without the ball we controlled the game how we want to play and we also handled the physical power of Burton and the way they try and play.

“You have to compete and win second balls, get blocks in and I don’t think they had a shot on target tonight.

“I thought Gavin was excellent. He was really good at Wrexham last week with a really impactful 45 minutes and you look at the make-up of the squad tonight and we are only as good as our senior players and they were all excellent tonight.

“It was a great finish from Lewis. I knew the group would need the likes of Lewis and I told him we were going to need his quality from the bench.

“I was really pleased with the clean sheet too tonight and we achieved our aim of getting through to the second round.”

Burton boss Dino Maamria bemoaned his side’s luck in a tight game of fine margins, reflecting on his team’s disallowed goal at Vale Park that resulted in the replay.

He said: “It’s a marginal game. The first is marginal to being offside, I think.

“Cole Stockton missed being onside by an inch. We scored a legit goal in the first game but it was disallowed for offside.”

Maamria hailed Vale striker Uche Ikpeazu for the way he led the line and caused the Burton defence problems.

“I thought we started the game really well then they got on top a little bit,” Maamria added. “I thought the player that made the difference in the game was Ikpeazu.

“I thought we pressed really well from the front but once they got it up to him he was able to do what he wanted to do. He was unplayable tonight and the difference between the two teams.

“You need to score when you are on top and that first goal came at the wrong time for us. Overall, Port Vale deserved their win tonight. For us it was tough to take but I think the international break is coming at the right time for us to get our best player, Sam Hughes, back.”

Goals in each half from Gavin Massey and substitute Lewis Cass saw Port Vale through to the second round of the FA Cup with a 2-0 replay win over Staffordshire rivals Burton.

Massey finally broke the deadlock in the 31st minute after Burton keeper Max Crocombe had made a double save from Uche Ikpeazu and Tom Sang. The winger reacted quickest to the loose ball to leave the Albion stopper with no chance and put Vale in charge of the game.

The visitors had to weather plenty of early pressure from the Brewers but crucially did not concede, allowing them to grow into the game and begin to dominate.

The goal was a reward for Vale’s attacking after Ikpeazu had missed a sitter on the rebound after Rhys Walters has forced another good save, and Ethan Chislett squandered a good chance on the stroke of half-time, firing wastefully wide.

Cole Stockton was denied an equaliser by the flag of the assistant early in the second half as Albion sought parity but Vale finally made sure of victory when Cass converted Sang’s low cross with eight minutes remaining to set up a meeting with fellow League One side Stevenage.