Second place beckons. Vale v City preview.

Last updated : 21 January 2003 By Michael Morris
The Bluebirds would move into second place. The deficit on Wigan at the top would be cut to 9 points. Oldham would be 3rd, 2 points behind with City still having a game in hand. Crewe would be 3 points behind and Bristol City 6 points adrift.

If City were to repeat last seasons victory at Vale Park then it would be the first time since November that the Bluebirds have made back to back league victories.

Tonights game is pay at the gate for all City fans with no tickets on sale at all.

City will not play Alan Mahon. The registration of the Blackburn midfielder will not be completed until the end of the week so allowing him to be eligable for the remainder of the season bar the last game at Crewe. He would also miss out on play off games but hopefully we will not need them this year.

Because Mahon is aged 24 the maximum loan period he can sign for is 93 days. Under 21's could have signed for the rest of the season but not over 21's.

As far as the team is concerned a suggested line up for tonights game is

(4 - 3 - 3) Alexander, Weston, Young, Barker, Croft, Bonner, Kavanagh, Legg, Earnshaw, Thorne, Campbell.

That would see a return for Gary Croft and a first start of the season for Mark Bonner with the omission of Spencer Prior and Jason Bowen.

Port Vale picked up a 2 - 1 win at Peterborough at the weekend. Their first win since November in the league. That came at Vale Park v Mansfield, before that the previous home win was on Sep 17th v Notts County.

Robert Earnshaw and Peter Thorne will both be keen to get on the scoresheet. Earnie has bagged 22 league goals so far this season. Thorne's goal last Saturday will have lifted is confidence after a barren spell.

A win for Cardiff would also mean a first league double, over 13,000 fans were at Ninian Park last August when Thorne, Leo and Andy Legg scored for City in a 3 - 1 win.

Kick off at Vale Park is at 7:45pm.