PRESSURE WILL BE ON BOTH TEAMS AT WEEKEND, INSISTS VALIANTS BOSS
PORT Vale boss Darren Moore says everyone knows the magnitude of this weekend’s clash with Bolton in their fight for survival, but urged his players to focus on their own jobs and concentrate on themselves.
Results this past week mean Vale need to win and results will also have to go in their favour with Burton and Cheltenham now both above them.
On paper Bolton away is a daunting task with them sitting third in the table and hunting down Derby County for the second automatic promotion spot behind champions Portsmouth.
And previewing tomorrow’s game, Moore said: “I think we all know the magnitude of the game.
“It is a big game and despite what has gone on over the course of the season, it all does fall down to Saturday really for where we are concerned in terms of what we need from the game and what we require.
“We have come back in, discussed it, got some preparation work and we will be ready for another interesting and tough game on Saturday.
“Let’s just concentrate on what we do. Let’s make sure that we are the best version of ourselves. Let’s make sure that we travel to Bolton and make sure in all areas of the game we need to be taking care of, we are doing our utmost best. That’s us with the ball, without the ball, competing 100 per cent in all areas of the pitch.
“We know the difficulty of the game but we know at this stage of the season it usually poses difficulties. Despite what has gone on over the course of the season, it is about making sure that we are applying ourselves right.
“We can’t look elsewhere. We have just got to make sure that we look after ourselves. That has been the main message given to the group because as it stands here now with two games remaining, we are still in the fight and that has to got to remain our focus. We have got lots of optimism in terms of where we are at the moment.”
Despite Moore’s positivity, he could not dispute that it may very well be an incredibly nerve wracking 90 minutes for everyone associated with both Port Vale and their opponents.
He admitted: “It can be nervy for all 22 players on the pitch. For our purposes and where we are but for their purposes in terms of where they want to be as well. So all round nerves can be for both sets. “They are at home, they will be expected to win because they are at home. We go there knowing what we need to do in order to remain in the fight to stay in League One.
“The game is there for all to see. I don’t think it needs me to say much really. I think everybody associated with the game on both sides of the fence will understand the magnitude.
“Yes we are still in the fight. We are still very much optimistic because we have to be. It is going to be down to ourselves. We will be doing everything we can.”