Preview: Grimsby Town vs. Port Vale - prediction, team news, lineups

Round 23 of the 2024-25 League Two play pits promotion hopefuls Grimsby Town and Port Vale against each different successful Sunday's gathering astatine Blundell Park.
 
Albeit disconnected the backmost of contrasting results past clip out, some teams person enjoyed comparatively decent starts to the existent run up of reaching its midway point.

Match preview

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Following 2 defeats connected the bounce, Grimsby Town handed their fans a much-welcome Boxing Day contiguous by claiming a constrictive 2-1 triumph astatine the disbursal of Harrogate Town successful Thursday's gathering betwixt the sides.
 
Making the astir of a archetypal league commencement successful 5 outings, Evan Khouri got the shot rolling for David Artell's men with his opener 10 minutes into the 2nd period, aft which Jason Svanthorsson netted the clincher, rendering Stephen Duke-McKenna's precocious effort inconsequential.
 
In a gameweek that saw conscionable 2 of the apical 7 travel distant with each 3 points, Grimsby were possibly the biggest winners successful the apical fractional arsenic they closed the spread to the last playoff spot to conscionable extremity difference.
 
However, the Mariners volition request to tighten up astatine the backmost to prolong their propulsion for promotion aft conceding a 34th league extremity of the play past clip out, which is the astir of immoderate squad not successful the bottommost seven.
 
Having not won back-to-back games since a tally of 3 consecutive victories betwixt September 21 and October 1, Sunday's hosts volition beryllium keen to travel distant with maximum points this play and adjacent retired 2024 connected a high.

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Winless successful 5 consecutive league matches, Port Vale headed into their brushwood against Bradford City successful request of a immense assistance but were near disappointed aft a 2-1 decision astatine the Valley Parade connected Thursday afternoon.
 
Darren Moore's men paid the terms for a dilatory commencement to the contention arsenic they conceded a 3rd-minute onslaught to Andy Cook earlier restoring parity via Antwoine Hackford aboriginal successful the 2nd half, albeit for lone a little portion arsenic Cook netted the victor conscionable shy of the hr mark.
 
While Port Vale stay 2nd successful the League Two table, they person present fallen a whopping 9 points shy of Walsall contempt having played 1 crippled much than the existent leaders heading into their adjacent outing.
 
A deficiency of violative firepower has been a large interest for the Valiants, who person present gone 11 games crossed each competitions since they past scored much than 1 extremity successful a crippled astatine location to AFC Wimbledon.
 
Managing conscionable 1 triumph from the past 10 editions of Sunday's fixture, this weekend's visitors surely bash not person past connected their side, but their distant grounds this word is the champion successful the part and volition connection immoderate origin for optimism.

Grimsby Town League Two form:

Port Vale League Two form:

Port Vale signifier (all competitions):

Team News

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Midfielder Thomas Sang volition not beryllium disposable for Port Vale's travel connected Sunday aft receiving his marching orders successful the last knockings of the decision to Bradford City.
 
In Sang's absence, 24-year-old Ruari Paton is expected to gain a callback to the visitors' starting lineup for this 1 disconnected the backmost of a 14-minute cameo appearance.
 
Jason Svanthorsson came disconnected the seat to bully effect for Grimsby arsenic helium recovered the backmost of the nett wrong 5 minutes of coming connected arsenic a substitute against Harrogate which could spot him rewarded with a commencement here.
 
Now a regular for the location broadside since returning to enactment successful aboriginal October, Englishman Jayden Luker enactment connected a man-of-the-match show past clip out, wherever helium supplied 2 assists and volition beryllium looking to present the goods erstwhile again.

We say: Grimsby Town 1-1 Port Vale

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