Two sides battling in the middle of the League Two table will do battle on Tuesday, as Port Vale welcome Salford City to Vale Park.

Back-to-back defeats have caused the hosts to drop down to ninth, while their visitors sit 13th after a loss of their own at the weekend.

Match preview

Sitting on 35 points from the opening 20 games of the League One season, Port Vale held a strong position in the race for promotion, but their moods have since been dampened by consecutive defeats.

In their search for a third straight league victory, Darrell Clarke's side travelled to Newport County, and they took a first-half lead through Ben Garrity, only for goals from Dom Telford and Finn Azaz to turn the game on its head in the final 30 minutes and send them home empty-handed.

Following a 4-1 defeat to top-tier Brentford in the FA Cup, the Valiants were handed a second straight league loss last time out, as Swindon Town left Vale Park with a 3-1 win thanks to goals from Jonny Williams and Ben Gladwin and a Nathan Smith own goal after Kian Harratt had drawn the hosts level.

As a result of their dip in form, Clarke's men have dropped to ninth and now sit three points outside the top seven, although, with games in hand on every side above them, they will know that a correction in form can quickly trigger a climb back into the playoff places.

They meet a Salford City side also looking to push for the playoffs, albeit with a far smaller claim at this stage of the term.

Back-to-back wins over Stevenage and Newport County either side of the turn of the year saw Salford move onto 30 points from 22 league games with their sights set on an outside push for the playoffs in the second half of the season.

Gary Bowyer's side then faced the unenviable task of a meeting with second-placed Tranmere Rovers, and they earned a commendable point thanks to Aramide Oteh's goal in the first half before Paul Glatzel earned a point for the promotion-chasing visitors.

The Ammies boss then took his side to meet former club Bradford City on Saturday, and Brandon Thomas-Asante put them ahead before he was sent off and the hosts turned the game on its head, culminating in an 85th-minute Paudie O'Connor winner.

As a result of earning a single point in the last two games, Salford have now dropped back into the bottom half of the League Two table, and, with seven points now between themselves and the top seven, Bowyer's side will know that there is little more room for error if they are to mount a playoff charge.

Team News

Port Vale come into Tuesday's clash without goalkeeper Lucas Covolan, who was sent off in the defeat to Swindon Town last time out, with Aidan Stone set to deputise after replacing Covolan between the sticks during that game.

Former Salford City forward James Wilson should lead the line against his old club, having hit seven goals in all competitions so far this season.

He will again join Kian Harratt, who netted the Valiants' only goal last time out alongside a goal off the bench in the cup defeat to Brentford - his first two appearances for the club after joining on loan from Huddersfield Town.

The visitors have a suspension of their own to deal with, as forward Brandon Thomas-Asante was sent off last time out after netting the opener in their eventual defeat.

Tom Elliott came on in that game, and he may be trusted to lead the line while Conor McAleny will also be pushing for a starting berth in the attacking line.

Port Vale possible starting lineup:
Stone; Cass, Hall, Smith; Worrall, Garrity, Politic, Hussey; Conlon; Wilson, Harratt

Salford City possible starting lineup:
King; Vassell, Eastham, Turnbull, Love; Lowe, Lund; Morris, McAleny, Hunter; Elliott

We say: Port Vale 1-1 Salford City

While Port Vale have been the stronger of the two sides so far this season, they will be wounded by consecutive defeats and could have to settle for a draw.

Gary Bowyer's men are dangerous on their day and have enough to leave Vale Park with at least a point if they can bounce back from the weekend's defeat.

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