FOYLE'S SOCA WARRIORS SAVE BEST FOR BEES
(thesentinel.co.uk)15:00 - 27 February 2006
This superb Vale performance deserved a grander stage, so it was fitting that a touch of World Cup fever came to Griffin Park. The couple of hundred travelling supporters were joined by four Trinidad and Tobago fans whose national flag and "Soca Warriors" banner were draped proudly over a barrier in the open away terrace.
The newcomers included Gershwin Stephen, a 45-year-old history teacher from Virginia in the United States.
He has flown over for his country's friendly with Iceland at Loftus Road tomorrow, but wasn't going to miss the opportunity to also see Chris Birchall - born in Stafford, but adopted by Trinidad - in action for Port Vale.
It may not surprise you to learn he was unimpressed by the argument that the winger should give his country the elbow so he can play for Vale against Sc**thorpe tomorrow.
"I don't know why people are saying he should play for his club first," he said.
"If he was playing for England would people be saying that?"
"He has already done a tremendous job for Port Vale and we like him because he hasn't just jumped on the bandwagon with Trinidad. He isn't like some other players who weren't interested until we qualified for the World Cup.
"He wanted to play for us from the start and when he has played, he has given 100 per cent. The guy is a national hero."
That much was evident when Birchall stepped off the team bus to roars of appreciation from the Trinidad posse.
Neither were they holding back on their support during the game. Having become honorary Vale fans for the afternoon, they joined the regulars in urging on a team effort which, in this reporter's opinion, was the Valiants' best display of the season.
Birchall's contribution was not one of his most eye-catching, but he still played his part as his side out-fought and outplayed their hosts in the opening 45 minutes before defending for their lives as the promotion-chasing Bees launched a ferocious fight-back after the break.
Brentford manager Martin Allen couldn't believe his team hadn't made more of their second-half chances, but was also honest enough to admit they could have been out of the contest by half-time.
The Valiants, who had the first-half advantage of a strong wind, could have scored three before Jeff Smith gave them the lead from the most difficult chance of the lot on 36 minutes.
There didn't seem much on when he claimed the ball 30 yards out, but his control took him past his marker before he thumped a stunning volley across helpless Brentford goalkeeper Stuart Nelson and into the top corner.
The goal more than made amends for his fourth-minute miss when as he dragged the ball wide from 12 yards after Nathan Lowndes's dummy - from Leon Constantine's cross - had left him unmarked at the back post.
Michael Cummins went considerably closer on 20 minutes when his 20-yard strike rattled the angle of post and bar after flying past Nelson. Lowndes also gave the Bees a scare, seconds before Smith's opener, when he volleyed across the face of goal after Birchall's cross had picked him out at the back post.
Meanwhile, the combustible Allen turned a deeper shade of purple the longer the half wore on. He had given full vent to his feelings after just eight minutes when his right-back John Mousinho made the mistake of dawdling over a throw-in right under his manager's nose.
"Get a **@%! move on; there's a football match on today," screamed Allen, inches from his unfortunate defender's ear.
No sane individual would have swapped places with the Brentford players as they trudged in for half-time, so it was no surprise they played more like promotion contenders after the break.
They were also aided by the wind, which helped contain Vale in their own half of the pitch as the Bees pumped a succession of long balls and crosses into the area.
Paul Brooker and Lloyd Owusu should have done better when the Vale defence was temporarily prised open, and the Valiants also rode their luck when Michael Turner planted a looping header against the bar on 64 minutes.
But Vale deserved their breaks, and were unlucky not to double their lead towards the end when Smith flashed a drive just wide on 80 minutes and Cummins forced a flying save from Nelson with his 87th-minute header.
Vale's second-half doggedness was almost as impressive as their first-half dominance, so Foyle may well leave Clayton Fortune and Jason Talbot in the side against Sc**thorpe tomorrow, even though Craig James and Mark McGregor are available after suspension.
Birchall's international commitments rule him out, although Port Vale's newest supporters have no complaints with that.
"That was a really exciting game, but I knew Vale would win," beamed Stephen.
"It was my first experience of a game in the UK, but it won't be my last. The Port Vale fans were tremendous with us and were saying that, apart from England, they will be supporting Trinidad in the World Cup.
"They want us to get through to play Germany in the second round - and to kick their asses."
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www.thisisthesentinel.co.uk/slideshows
