Port Vale boss Darrell Clarke says it was a “travesty” his side were beaten 2-1 by Wanderers at the UniBol.

The visitors went in front through Ellis Harrison inside the opening 10 minutes, but Victor Adeboyejo got the Whites back on level terms.

Josh Sheehan scored the winner with a pinpoint strike from outside the box, with James Trafford also making a couple of important stops at the other end.

Clarke felt his side’s performance “probably warranted a lot more” but was left ruing a couple of defensive errors.

The manager said: “There is not a lot I can fault about the performance other than being soft for I think their only two shots on target. We have to defend better than that.

“The team has come here and had a right go – on the front foot most of the game. To not get anything is a travesty really to be honest.”

He added: “It was a performance that probably warranted a lot more. We put some good moves together. We have just not defended five or 10 minutes of the game that we needed to defend.

“We had a lot of the ball and a lot of the territory, but we have got to stop being a little bit soft at the other end.

“You can see how far they have come as a club. Ian has done a tremendous job there. We want to be trying to get to those reached.

“It is hard, they get 19,000 fans here. It is a tremendous football club and we have come and given them a right good game.”

The result sees Wanderers maintain their place in the top four and the gap to second is now down to six points after Plymouth lost 5-2 at Peterborough.

Meanwhile, Clarke’s side slip to 16th and have now won just one of their last 10 matches in the league.

Evatt’s men are back in action on Tuesday night when they make the long trip to Fratton Park to take on Portsmouth (7.45pm).

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