Port Vale secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Chesterfield at Vale Park on Saturday, with manager Jon Brady acknowledging that his side earned a hard-fought, if scrappy, win. Onel Hernandez scored the only goal of the match just before halftime, continuing his recent effectiveness against the Spireites.
The goal came in the 45th minute when Hernandez capitalized on hesitant defending, skillfully chipping the ball over his marker and slotting it home. Previously, Hernandez’s only goal this season had been in the Football League Trophy, coincidentally also against Chesterfield.
Despite controlling possession at times during the first half, both teams struggled to create clear-cut opportunities. Chesterfield’s Lee Bonis produced the visitors’ first shot on target with a header that forced Vale goalkeeper Mark Morris into a save, while Ryan Stirk’s long-range effort was tipped over the bar by Vale’s goalkeeper. Nonetheless, Vale entered the match as one of the division’s joint-lowest scorers and showed little attacking fluency in the opening period.
The second half saw even fewer chances for either side. Hernandez’s poor shot was comfortably saved by Chesterfield keeper Ryan Boot, while Louie Marsh and Josh Koroma also failed to test Morris with routine attempts. Boot did make a key save from Keyrol Figueroa to keep Chesterfield in the contest, but the visitors were unable to find an equalizer.
Chesterfield suffered their fourth league defeat of the season, and their manager Paul Cook’s frustration was evident after the match. Cook declined to comment directly, instead sending assistant Danny Webb to speak to the media. Webb described the loss as disappointing and highlighted the need for a better response from the team ahead of their next match against Colchester on Tuesday. “It wasn’t great,” Webb admitted. “It’s hard to find any positives when you’ve lost, especially to a really poor goal, and we never really recorded a response.”
Brady, on the other hand, was satisfied with his team’s resilience, despite the unpolished performance. “Sometimes you’ve got to win ugly,” he said, emphasizing the team’s collective determination and growing belief in each other’s abilities. He noted a positive mentality within the squad and said the victory reflected their improving rhythm and connection on the pitch.
The result lifts Port Vale’s confidence as they aim to build momentum in the league, while Chesterfield face the challenge of regrouping and addressing their recent setbacks.