Port Vale will welcome the struggling Fleetwood to Vale Park this weekend off the back of a narrow win over Newcastle United U21s with the home side up into ninth in the table after a decent start to their season.
Not much was expected of Port Vale in League One this season, but they are coming into this match up in ninth and within touching distance of the playoff spots. In fact, they sit just three points adrift of Bolton Wanderers and will no doubt be eyeing up a spot in these positions after winning five games in the league so far.
On the other hand, the club do have a terrible goals difference record with just 11 goals scored and 20 let in - this is both the worst goal scored record and worst defensive record in the top half of the table.
Vale are in poor form right now, despite their solid start to the campaign. The club have failed to win any of their past five matches in League One since beating Northampton Town 1-0 where Ben Garrity scored in the second half. The club would then go on to draw 1-1 with Cambridge United before returning to the win column with a third round win over Sutton United in the EFL Cup - this has now set up a battle with League Two's Mansfield Town, so there is a genuine chance of a quarter-finals spot for the club.
However, they have lost all three games in the league since that win, losing to Bolton Wanderers, Bristol Rovers and Portsmouth by failing to score a single goal.
During the week, Vale managed to defeat Newcastle United U21s on penalties after a 1-1 draw in their Group B battle. Jesse Debrah scored that day from one of the eight shots on target.
As for Fleetwood, it has been another troubling start to their season in League One and they remain in 21st and also suffered a loss during the week. They did, however, draw the midweek game 3-3 with Wigan Athletic after Josh Earl bagged in stoppage time to take the game to penalties, as Kabongo Tshimanga scored twice in the first half, both goals of which came within two minutes of one another.
Prior to this, the club were beaten 4-1 at home to Wycombe Wanderers where Jack Marriot scored and Ben Heneghan was sent off, and he is now suspended for this match. Fleetwood did beat Cheltenham Town before that, however, and they are two points above the bottom three as a result and six clear of the last-placed Cheltenham.