Preview:Rochdale vs. Port Vale - prediction, team news, lineups

Promotion contenders Port Vale travel to Rochdale on Wednesday evening, seeking to get back on track for the top three after a fortnight on the sidelines.

The Valiants' mid-table hosts, meanwhile, have been sidelined for over a week themselves and will want to continue where they left off in League Two - having previously posted a 3-0 win.

Match preview

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After winning their previous three league games on the spin, Port Vale will travel to The Crown Oil Arena this week having faltered in their most recent fixture, which came as long ago as December 11.

Since a 2-1 loss at Newport County, each of their subsequent matches has been called off due to COVID-19 infections, so Darrell Clarke's men will be eager to get back on the pitch and make amends for their defeat in Wales.

Newport's comeback in the second half that day ended a positive run in which the Valiants had just registered two away wins on the bounce, but they remain fifth in the table approaching the halfway stage.

Still with a game in hand on several of their closest promotion rivals, Vale can now consolidate their position in the fourth tier of England's football pyramid by exacting revenge on opponents that inflicted one of their six league defeats, back in early September.

While the uncertainty of whether numerous players will be fit to feature after such a spell away from training and first-team action remains to be seen, but Clarke will still expect his team to fare better than in that 3-2 defeat at Vale Park.

Having turned out for their most recent competitive game a full week after Port Vale's, Rochdale may have the advantage of more residual match-fitness this week, and their last league result also offers hope for Robbie Stockdale's side. In his first permanent job, the manager has brought a pragmatic style of play not appreciated by all Dale followers and is happy to win by any means required - with attractive football being put on the back burner.

His club were able to turn over Port Vale's conquerors last time out though, when they won 3-0 at home to Newport, largely thanks to a Jake Beesley brace.

On several occasions this season Rochdale have taken the lead and then conceded to draw or miss out on the points entirely, but they never looked back once Beesley had given them a second-minute lead, easing a little pressure on Stockdale following three successive defeats in league and cup - and no wins at all from six previous attempts.

Having both scored and conceded 30 times so far this term, Rochdale are unsurprisingly mired in mid-table mediocrity - currently sitting 14th. Nonetheless, a win on Wednesday would bring them within five points of their upwardly mobile opponents in the League Two standings.

Team News

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Port Vale were unable to fulfil their fixture with Salford due to having an insufficient number of players available, due to a combination of COVID-19 cases and injuries.

They have, though, apparently recovered several squad members, and added to their depth after midfielder Danny Whitehead was recalled from his loan at Altrincham.

Captain Tom Conlon is the key man for Darrell Clarke's side and starts in support of the front two, while James Gibbons has consistently impressed at left wing-back.

However, centre-back Dan Jones is suspended for being sent off last time out, and a number of forwards are out with longer-term injuries, which means midfielder Ben Garrity should continue to feature up front.

Rochdale, meanwhile, favour a 3-4-3 formation, with former Manchester United defender Max Taylor, Eoghan O'Connell and Jeriel Dorsett making up the back three in front of goalkeeper Jay Lynch.

After scoring twice last time out, Jake Beesley should start in the forward trio for the home side. Currently on nine League Two goals this season, the former Solihull Moors striker will be hoping to get into double figures on Wednesday.

Rochdale possible starting lineup:

Lynch; Dorsett, O'Connell, Taylor; O'Keefe, Kelly, Morley, White; Odoh, Beesley, Newby

Port Vale possible starting lineup:

Covolan; Smith, Martin, Legge; Cass, Walker, Conlon, Pett, Benning; Politic, Garrity

We say: Rochdale 2-2 Port Vale

There is good reason for either side to be a little rusty this week, as they have both experienced an enforced mid-winter break due to the current circumstances.

Earlier this month, the two teams were already faltering, so perhaps a score draw would be an acceptable result for a pair of capable attacking sides.