Port Vale will look to follow their midweek Trophy victory over Mansfield Town with a League win against Grimsby Town on Saturday, as manager Jon Brady seeks to build consistent form.
Brady has settled on an experienced attacking pairing of Max Watters and Onel Hernandez, though the combination is somewhat makeshift with Watters still regaining match sharpness and Hernandez more commonly deployed on the wing. Loanee Maleace Asamoah impressed as a substitute on Tuesday and could feature in Brady's plans.
Midfielder Ryan Croasdale is definitely unavailable, while George Byers is a doubt for the fixture. The central midfield is likely to pick itself, and goalkeeper Marko Marosi may continue to edge out Jackson Smith for the number one shirt, with Jasper Moon settling into the defence.
Grimsby's Recent Form and History
Grimsby manager David Artell's side are unbeaten in their last three meetings with Vale. The teams drew 2-2 in January 2025, with Lorent Tolaj and Jesse Debrah scoring for Vale. The first meeting between the clubs came in 1893, ending in a 2-0 win for Grimsby, though Vale eventually claimed a memorable 6-1 victory in their third encounter.
Jackson Smith is the only player in either squad to have played for both sides. He remains uncertain to face Grimsby, the club where he impressed on loan last season, after a shaky start and concussion issues.