Darren Moore praises matchwinner Ben Waine after Port Vale advance in FA Cup

Port Vale manager Darren Moore heaped praise on matchwinner Ben Waine after the New Zealand forward’s goal secured the Valiants a 1-0 win over Bristol Rovers and a place in the FA Cup third round.

In a match between two sides struggling badly for form in their respective leagues, Waine’s second goal in as many games proved to be the difference for the League One side.

And having only just returned from a few months out to score in the midweek EFL trophy victory over Barnsley, Moore was hugely complimentary of the striker.

“I really want him to have all the accolades here because he epitomises a player that has come in, started, tried to hit the ground running,” he said.

“It didn’t quite work for him but my goodness, his work off the ball and then away from it – from all the watchful eyes that’s not been on him, he’s just kept going.

“Over the last three or four weeks, we’ve seen a real change, not in terms of his temperament, his mentality, but just his cleanness really.

“Since he’s come in, we’ve had a couple of in-house games, he’s scored goals and he’s come back in and capitalised on his opportunity.

“From his performance on Tuesday night, he deserved to start today and he’s scored the winning goal that’s took us into the third round.”

Bristol Rovers boss Darrell Clarke – formerly Vale’s manager – was left to rue a missed opportunity for his team to take the lead in the first half when Ellis Harrison’s close-range effort was well saved by Ben Amos.

“We huffed and puffed and blew nothing down,” he said.

“I thought it was a very lacklustre game to be honest, with not a lot of quality in it at times.

“We had a great chance in the first half with Ellis, the keeper pulls off a great save.

“I think scoring the first goal was key today and we gave a Sunday league goal away.

“I’m absolutely raging about the goal because that is a pathetic goal to give away – not acceptable – and that means we’re chasing the game.

“We had a few half-chances, a few chances to break, wide players getting enough of the ball to make things happen, forwards have had enough of the ball to make things happen and we haven’t (made anything happen).”