Port Vale: Ben Garrity can be unorthodox solution to Darren Moore headache - View | OneFootball

Port Vale's lack of decent striker options has seen the club slide down the table in recent months, with relegation now a firm possibility.

Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Lincoln City was the 14th time they had failed to find the net in the league, and despite having the majority of the ball they never truly looked like scoring.

The defeat leaves Vale three points from safety in 22nd place, and despite having games in hand on some of the teams above them, the lack of goalscorers in the Vale squad is a major cause for concern.

Darren Moore has serious Port Vale striker issues to contend with

Despite starting the season with Ellis Harrison, Josh Thomas and James Wilson, the Valiants quickly lost Harrison to MK Dons before the end of the summer transfer window, whilst Thomas was sent back to parent club Swansea City in January, despite appearing to impress in his 15 appearances.

This left Wilson as the club's main striker, but he has historically struggled with injury issues, only managing to feature more than 25 times in a league campaign once in his career.

The ex-Man United man, who scored in the Premier League as a youngster, was only given a short-term contract in the summer, which was later extended despite the locally-born striker missing two months after sustaining a calf injury in October.

Vale moved swiftly to reinforce their attacking options, signing Ryan Loft from Bristol Rovers on deadline day in February.

However Loft's strike rate is historically poor, managing just 21 league goals in more than 150 appearances, and just four at League One level.

His performances have drawn scorn from the Port Vale fans, and he is yet to score a league goal for his new club.

Port Vale's Director of Football David Flitcroft appeared to pull off a transfer coup in October when the club announced the signing of former Cambridge United, Middlesbrough and Cardiff City striker Uche Ikpeazu on a free transfer.

Ikpeazu is seen as a handful for opposition defences, with the powerful striker often creating havoc and leaving space for team-mates to exploit.

But his goalscoring record is also sketchy for a striker - before joining Vale he hadn't scored a league goal since netting for Cardiff City in the 2021-22 season.

When both Ikpeazu and Wilson have been on the pitch together, the attack has looked more promising.

Both came off the bench on Boxing Day at home to Barnsley when Vale found themselves 3-0 down at half-time, and both had an impact as Vale were unlucky not to find a leveller in a 3-2 defeat.

And three days later, both started in what was possibly Vale's best result of the season, with Wilson scoring in a 3-0 victory over Blackpool.

Vale also scored three at home again a week later with both players starting again, Ikpeazu netting this time in a 3-3 draw with Charlton Athletic.

Any progress though has been cut short after Ikpeazu sustained a shoulder injury against Portsmouth at the end of January, ruling him out for three months, and leaving Vale with just Wilson, Loft and youth team player Baylee Dipepa as striker options.

Ben Garrity could solve Port Vale's goalscoring problem

One player who has managed to consistently find the back of the net this season is Ben Garrity, and he looks the most likely source of goals when he is fit.

Despite playing in an attacking midfield role for the majority of this season, the ex-Blackpool man has a healthy knack for being in the right place at the right time.

He already has eight league goals to his name this campaign, and popped up with the decisive goal in wins against Reading and Northampton Town as well as crucial equalisers against Cambridge United, Lincoln City and Wycombe Wanderers.

Indeed, without Garrity's goals Vale would undoubtedly find themselves even lower in the league.

With Wilson's obvious fitness issues and Loft's dire run of form in front of goal, Moore may be forced to turn to Garrity as a centre-forward if Vale are to find any consistent scoring threat.

Despite missing the last seven weeks of action Garrity remains Vale's top scorer, with only fellow midfielder Ethan Chislett coming close to matching his total with six league goals.

Since joining the club in 2021 from Blackpool, Garrity has been asked to play in a number of roles, and spent last season employed in a more defensive midfield position, limiting his chances in front of goal.

But when he is let loose further up the pitch he has proved himself more than capable, averaging nearly a goal every three games as well as contributing numerous assists.

Garrity is a calm finisher, often finding himself around the penalty spot or far post to finish off crosses.

With the addition of out-and-out winger Alex Mighten, on loan from Nottingham Forest, it may be that the likes of Garrity will find they have more chances to finish off, especially as Moore seems keen to play four at the back and have two wide men, rather than the width coming from defensive-minded wing backs.

While the last two defeats have been disappointing, losing 2-0 to both Reading and Lincoln, Moore will no doubt be relieved to see Garrity make a return from injury.

A half an hour stint off the bench against Reading was followed by a full 90 minutes against Lincoln, and with Wilson also managing to last the entire game against The Imps, the fitness of these two key players is at least one chink of light in what has been an otherwise depressing start for Moore.

If Garrity can find his early season form, then despite not being an out-and-out striker, Moore will hope he can provide the vital source of goals desperately needed if he is to keep Port Vale in League One.