Preview: Port Vale vs. Plymouth Argyle - prediction, team news, lineups

The Pilgrims sealed their promotion to the Championship with a 1-0 beating of Burton Albion last weekend and sit a point ahead of second-placed Ipswich Town ahead of the final day.

Match preview

Port Vale head into the final day in a disappointing run of form, albeit having comfortably maintained their third-tier status after winning promotion from League Two last season.

After beating MK Dons 1-0 in early March, the Valiants sat 14th with 43 points on the board from 35 outings, but, as they had across January and February, they would then endure a long winless run, and promotion-winning manager Darrell Clarke was dismissed in mid-April after they had picked up just three points from a seven-match span, culminating in a 3-2 defeat away at Lincoln City.

Andy Crosby has since taken charge on a caretaker basis at Vale Park, and he was unable to trigger an instant turnaround, as they initially lost 2-1 away at Ipswich Town, but they would then make a return to winning ways at home to Bristol Rovers, as Ellis Harrison and Tom Pett fired them to a 2-0 victory at home to Bristol Rovers with first-half goals.

Aiming to build on that result and end the season with a run of victories, they most recently travelled to take on Charlton Athletic last weekend, but the Valiants again fell short in an eventual 3-2 defeat, with Matt Taylor's 97th-minute converted penalty coming too late to inspire a comeback.

Now certainly left disappointed by the drop-off in the second half of their first season back in England's third tier, Port Vale will at least hope to end the campaign with a confidence-boosting win to ensure they do not drop any further down that 18th place.

Their visitors will travel with more to play for, with their sights set on securing the League One title after wrapping up their promotion last weekend.

Plymouth Argyle have enjoyed a particularly strong campaign in League One under the management of Steven Schumacher, which has seen them remain in the top two since September, having thus far put 98 points on the board in 45 outings.

In those games, Schumacher's men have managed 30 victories while only suffering seven defeats, with the most recent of those losses coming at home to Lincoln City in early April, and they have since rebounded in a perfect way with five straight triumphs, firstly beating Exeter City, Shrewsbury Town and Cambridge United, before moving within a point of confirming their promotion with a 2-0 defeat of Bristol Rovers courtesy of goals from Niall Ennis and Macaulay Gillesphey.

That meant Schumacher's men went into last weekend's meeting with Burton Albion knowing that a three-point haul would seal a top-two finish, and after going ahead through Ennis on the stroke of half time, they would make no mistake in seeing out the victory and ensuring they made a return to the Championship after a 13-year hiatus.

Now heading into the final day, the Pilgrims find themselves a point clear of second-placed Ipswich and travel to Vale Park knowing that a 31st league win of the season would see them go up as champions with 101 points, the highest tally in England's third tier since Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 2013-14 campaign.

Port Vale League One form:

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Plymouth Argyle League One form:

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Team News

Port Vale were without key striker Ellis Harrison, who leads their scoring charts with 11 league goals this season, for the trip to Charlton last weekend, after he was forced off with an injury concern in Bristol Rovers victory, and he could again miss out on the final day.

In his absence, Jamie Proctor led the line last time out, although Matt Taylor will likely come in from the outset, having netted his fourth goal for the club off the bench in that game after arriving on loan from Oxford City in January.

He could again be flanked by Gavin Massey and Daniel Butterworth, although Dennis Politic is vying to come in on the wing, while Funso Ojo should join Tom Pett in the engine room.

In their bid to secure the title, Plymouth should deploy an unchanged starting XI at the weekend, with Niall Ennis again set to lead the line having netted 12 goals and provided six assists in League One this season, including scoring in each of their last three outings.

He will likely have support from Danny Mayor and Callum Wright, with Matt Butcher and Adam Randell operating further back in a midfield pairing.

Callum Burton has stepped in between the sticks in recent months since Michael Cooper's injury, and there is competition to start in the back three in front of him, with James Wilson, Dan Scarr and Macaulay Gillesphey preferred last time out, while Nigel Lonwijk will hope to break back in ahead of the end of his spell on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Port Vale possible starting lineup:

Stone; Forrester, Smith, Donnelly; Worrall, Ojo, Pett, Benning; Massey, Taylor, Politic

Plymouth Argyle possible starting lineup:

Burton; Wilson, Scarr, Gillesphey; Edwards, Butcher, Randell, Mumba; Wright, Ennis, Mayor

We say: Port Vale 0-2 Plymouth Argyle

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