Cheltenham manager Darrell Clarke said it was a “nice touch” to hear the Port Vale fans chant his name after making a winning return to his former club.
A brace from captain Sean Long saw the Robins come from behind to win 2-1 and secure just their second victory of the season, moving them off the bottom of the League One table.
Clarke led the Valiants to promotion from League Two in the 2021-22 campaign before being sacked in April of this year and then appointed by Cheltenham in September.
“I had a great rapport with the Port Vale fans here,” he said. “I had a great couple of years here – they’re a passionate bunch.
“I thank them for all the love and support they gave me while I was manager here.
“And our Cheltenham fans who travelled down here. I thank them for their support, they were amazing all game.
“So yeah it was a nice touch and I’m really thankful for that.”
Vale went ahead in the 32nd minute when Tottenham loanee Alfie Devine found the net with an acrobatic effort after skipper Nathan Smith guided a header from a corner to the back post.
Their lead lasted only 10 minutes though, with Long blasting home after latching onto a loose ball in the penalty area.
Cheltenham’s winner came in the 66th minute as Long’s deflected effort looped over goalkeeper Connor Ripley and into the net.
“It wasn’t pretty, but it was a pleasing win,” Clarke added. “We fought, we grafted.
“I thought in the first half an hour we created chances and they scored a little bit against the run of the play, which we’re disappointed on.
“But then the reaction of the boys was very good, so I’m really pleased with that.”
Vale manager Andy Crosby thinks the performance of his team, now without a win in eight league matches, was their poorest of the season.
“Without the ball, we didn’t win enough duels, we didn’t win enough battles, we didn’t win enough first contacts, we didn’t win enough headers, we didn’t win enough second balls,” he said.
“And then, when you get the ball back, you have to continue to show the bravery to get on the ball and play the game that we’re trying to play.
“And perhaps we got caught in between a little bit, in terms of then going more direct and then into the front.
“The team who played the best won the game.”
Vale scored a first goal in six league games, but they’ve now dropped to 16th after a promising start to the season.
“It’s important that collectively we now all go away, me included and you look at yourself and ask are you currently producing your best?,” Crosby added.
“If not, why not? And what can you do to make sure that your performance is better?
“Because this is about all of us. We’re in this position. We all have to do something about it.”
Liverpool 1-0 Real Betis: Szoboszlai gets Slot era up and running
Dominik Szoboszlai's goal was the difference as Arne Slot's first game in charge of Liverpool with spectators present ended in a 1-0 win over Real Betis in Pittsburgh.
Liverpool lost 1-0 in a behind-closed-doors meeting with Preston North End last week, but they were victors in sweltering conditions when their pre-season tour of the United States got under way on Friday.
Szoboszlai scored the only goal after 34 minutes, stroking his finish past Adrian after Mohamed Salah slipped a pass through to the Hungary international.
That goal came four minutes after Curtis Jones was forced off through injury, being replaced by 17-year-old Trey Nyoni.
Former Reds goalkeeper Adrian denied Conor Bradley as a strong Liverpool side chased a second, while Harvey Elliott nodded wide from a Kostas Tsimikas cross.
After Slot rang the changes with 63 minutes gone, Kaide Gordon missed Liverpool's best chance to make it 2-0 by dragging his effort wide, but it did not matter as a controlled performance saw the Reds home.
Data Debrief: Reds in cruise control
Slot had been expected to bring a slightly more measured approach than the "heavy metal football" preached by his predecessor Jurgen Klopp, and that was on full display on Friday as Betis were held at arm's length.
Liverpool enjoyed 62.7% of the possession throughout the match, though Slot will be looking for more penetration when they face Arsenal in the next game of their tour on Wednesday, having only recorded 12 touches in the penalty area to Betis' 10.
Sessegnon rejoins boyhood club Fulham after Tottenham departure
Ryan Sessegnon has resigned for Fulham on a free transfer, five years after leaving the club.
The 24-year-old signed a two-year contract with the Cottagers with the option to extend for a further year following his departure from Tottenham last month.
In his first spell at the club, Sessegnon worked his way through the academy over 11 years, scoring 25 goals in 120 first-team appearances.
He then moved to Spurs in a £25million deal in 2019, though struggled to nail down a place in North London, making just 57 appearances in all competitions, and scoring three goals.
"It's amazing to be back. Emotional, as well," he told FFCtv. "It's where it started for me, where everything began, and it's amazing to be back.
"It will always be home for me. I think it had the feeling that it was meant to be, coming back here, so I'm delighted to get it done."
Sessegnon is Fulham's first signing of the transfer window, though they have seen plenty of first-team departures already, with Joao Palhinha, Tosin Adarabioyo and Bobby De Cordova-Reid all leaving the club.
Dewsbury-Hall: Maresca will surprise people at Chelsea
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall believes new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca will "surprise a lot of people" when they watch the Blues this season.
The Italian led Leicester City straight back to the Premier League as Championship winners in his only season in charge and succeeds Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge.
The Foxes topped the second division table with 98 points, with Dewsbury-Hall a key figure in his squad as he netted 12 goals and provided 14 assists last season – his best tally in a single campaign.
Dewsbury-Hall was also named Leicester's Player and Players' Player of the Year.
The midfielder made the switch to West London earlier this month for £30million and is confident that Maresca will have Chelsea challenging for trophies in no time.
"The manager was a big catalyst in wanting me to come," Dewsbury-Hall told BBC Sport.
"I knew from Leicester, a club that went down and had a lot of problems, how he managed to galvanise that if everyone manages to buy into the system.
"I genuinely think in a short space of time we can be pushing for minimum top four - but more than that.
"He may be unknown for a lot of people, but he is top, top level. He will surprise a lot of people."
Chelsea's pre-season got off to a frustrating start as they were held to a 2-2 draw by League One side Wrexham in Maresca's first game in charge on Wednesday.
Dewsbury-Hall did not play in that match but is training with the squad in the United States and could feature in their next outing against Celtic on Saturday.
The 25-year-old is confident the manager's tactics will come across soon, with the players buying into his style.
"We've only been doing it for two or three weeks, but the combination plays are really quick and tidy," he added.
"That's after two weeks. I remember he said to us at Leicester after six months or a year, there might be teething problems at the start, but it will improve.
"Within the first week at Leicester, I was convinced this was top, top level. I felt a bit stupid; I thought I knew a lot about football, but he was teaching me things on a daily basis that I didn't really know before. He has an aura, he can be strict, or gentle and soft - he has both sides.
"I am getting the same feedback here with the lads. They've bought into it here from minute one which is exciting. With a system and philosophy, you need everyone to buy in because, if they do, you can really achieve something."
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