Clarke 'confident of beating anyone' as Vale prepare to host Cobblers

Port Vale boss Darrell Clarke says his team are 'confident of beating anyone' as they prepare to host the Cobblers in another big game at the top of Sky Bet League Two.

Vale are just outside the play-offs in eighth but have only played 27 games, two fewer than Northampton and three fewer than fellow promotion challengers Tranmere and Newport.

Clarke's side beat struggling Carlisle United in midweek and are confident of another three points back at Vale Park tomorrow.

"We analysed the good and the bad from the game against Carlisle and Northampton will be a different game with different problems but it's a game we are looking forward to," said Clarke.

"It will be a good test for us. They have found their rhythm and they are up there but we're confident of beating anyone. The group feels confident and I feel confident but we respect Northampton as well and rightly so because Jon (Brady) is doing a good job there.

"But I'm not concerned with Northampton. It's up to them to assess how they're doing. They're in the top three so it's a tough test but we worry about what we do and that's not me being disrespectful to the opposition.

"That's understanding their strengths and weaknesses and trying to beat them."

Vale stuttered either side of Christmas but two wins in their last three and a four-game unbeaten run has kept them in the promotion mix.

"There are many challenges that you have to come through over the course of a season and the table doesn't lie," Clarke added.

"You finish where you deserve to finish. We've had injuries and we've had COVID so there have been challenges but we have been fighting away and we just keep looking to improve and keep the levels of performance high.

"We don't really change. We work towards each game. It's up to everybody else to enjoy certain moments but for us it's about being professional and now we move onto Northampton

"There's no substitute for out-working another team. We always work hard and give it a right go."