McGhee wary of what Vale have to offer

Mark McGhee is warning his Bristol Rovers team not to be fooled by the League Two positions when they visit one of their bogey grounds today.

The Pirates, who have won only once in their last 19 visits to Vale Park, take on a Port Vale side who are directly below them in the table.

But the Potteries outfit were deducted ten points after entering administration last month and McGhee believes that if it was not for their financial problem, Micky Adams' side would be challenging for a top-seven finish.

"I know Micky well and I'm looking forward to seeing him. I know how he sets his team out – they will be fairly direct and aggressive and will mirror his character because he is a tenacious type," said McGhee.

"They have been docked points, so they are a better team than their league position shows and they probably should be in the play-offs.

"But, over the last 20 games or so, we feel we have been in play-off form as well. It's a game between two teams who have probably underachieved this season."

Rovers, beaten 3-0 at home by the Valiants earlier in the season, gave a glimpse of their potential last weekend when they romped to a 7-1 win over Burton – yet McGhee insists there is room to improve.

"It's obviously going to be hard to improve on scoring seven goals, but we can improve by not letting any in – that has to be the starting point for any game," said the manager. "A clean sheet would be an improvement – we conceded a poor goal last week."

McGhee is unlikely to change the side which started against the Brewers.

"We owe it to the league and our supporters in particular to try to win every game and I'll be putting out the strongest team I feel is available – although it's going to be difficult to see past the 11 players who started last week," he said.

That is likely to mean another start for young striker Eliot Richards, who hit the first hat-trick of his career last weekend to reach double figures for the season.

"Ten goals in a season is good, but it's not great," said McGhee. "We are talking about playing in League Two, not the Championship, so Eliot's ambitions have to be scoring ten goals and more in a season.

"He has the ability to do that and he knows my feelings about where he has to improve and the work he has to do, especially on the training ground, to make himself more consistent."

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