Devante Rodney scores a brace as five-star Port Vale thrash Southend 5-1

Danny Pugh returned to the sideline after isolation to manage an emphatic win for Port Vale.

The home side scored four goals in the first half, leaving Southend little hope for the second 45 as they were forced into damage limitation.

Rodney grabbed his first goal only 55 seconds into the game, as the winger half volleyed a shot into the roof of the net from the edge of the area. The powerful strike left Southend keeper Scott Brown no hope as he sprawled to his right hopelessly.

The second and third goals both came before the half hour mark, with a David Worrall deflected shot doubling the Vale lead before substitute David Crookes netted the third with a close finish after a goalmouth scramble.

James Gibbons played his 100th game for Port Vale as he returned from injury on Saturday. The right-back made a slaloming run through the midfield in added time of the first half, taking on three players before releasing the ball to Rodney in the box. The winger claimed his second of the game and tenth of the season as he rounded the keeper easily and slotted the ball into the net from two yards – a confident finish that resembled a thoroughly professional first half performance from Vale.

Southend managed to pull a goal back in the second half with their only shot on target as debutant Nathan Ferguson scored a wonder strike on the 85th minute mark. Ferguson only joined Blues during the week and marked his debut with the goal of the game as he fired a rocket of a shot from range into the top right corner, a beautiful goal but only a consolation for the visitors.

However, it was Vale who had the last laugh in the game as Emmanuel Oyeleke jinked and turned in the box, with the winger eventually getting his shot away from a tight angle. The substitute’s shot was fired low and hard, leaving the Southend keeper no chance as the 28-year-old scored the home side’s fifth and final goal of the game.

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