Carlisle v Port Vale preview
Friday 15 December 2017 12:42, UK
Carlisle captain Danny Grainger could be back in contention for the Sky Bet League Two match with Port Vale.
The left-back missed last weekend's draw with Newport due to a side strain and was a doubt for the FA Cup second round replay on Tuesday, which was then postponed due to a frozen pitch. Carlisle are winless in four games and boss Keith Curle could again turn to midfielder Jamie Dewitt, who has not started a game in more than a month.
Reggie Lambe could make way if Curle decides to freshen up his side while forwards Hallam Hope and Shaun Miller have been dropped to the bench in recent weeks and both are pushing for a start.
Port Vale will be without suspended duo Cristian Montano and James Gibbons for the trip to Cumbria. Both were shown straight red cards as Vale lost 3-2 to Yeovil after extra-time in their FA Cup second-round replay on Tuesday. The exertions on Neil Aspin's side could see him make changes, with fit-again Tyrone Barnett likely to come into the side. Meanwhile, on-loan Leeds defender Tyler Denton is expected to return to the starting line-up in place of Gibbons.
Opta stats
These sides last met in the EFL in the third-tier in the 2013/14 campaign, with Port Vale doing the double over Carlisle that season to end a run of 10 games without a win over them in the Football League (D3 L7).
Indeed, the Valiants' 1-0 win at Brunton Park in September 2013 ended a run of three straight defeats at Carlisle in the EFL; they have never won consecutive league matches away at Carlisle.
The Cumbrians have fired in six goals from outside the box in League Two this season - no side has scored more (level with Accrington and Cheltenham).
Port Vale have kept four clean sheets in their last eight league matches - as many as they'd managed in the 34 games prior to this run.
