The Valiants secured back-to-back home victories and extended their unbeaten run to four league games after a well-earned victory over Swindon Town at Vale Park.
It was almost a dream start for Vale as just two minutes in Tom Sang’s free kick found Ben Heneghan in the box, who headed across the goal towards Lorent Tolaj at the back post, but the forward fired into the side netting.
Vale continued to build on their early momentum with two quickfire chances in the sixth minute. First, Brandon Cover displayed great skill to beat his man down the right before crossing into Jayden Stockley, however, a crucial touch from a Swindon defender deflected his headed attempt behind.
After the following set piece broke down, Tom Sang stole the ball off a Robins defender high up the pitch and delivered another cross which Heneghan rose highest to win, but the defender steered his aerial effort narrowly wide.
After a dominant opening half-hour from Vale, the game became a tighter contest with the visitors seeing more of the ball. In this spell, the Robins came close through a Danny Butterworth cross which dragged across the face of the goal with no visiting player able to find the vital touch to turn it in.
Vale tested visiting goalkeeper Jack Bycroft for the first time in the 47th minute. Stockley chased his own bouncing ball on the edge of the box and got their first, flashing a half volley goalwards which was tipped over the crossbar by Swindon’s number one.
Just three minutes later the visitors nearly broke the deadlock with their first clear-cut opportunity of the match. Former Valiant Butterworth broke forward on the counterattack and slipped in Aaron Drinan down the right, who fired low and struck the post with the rebound bobbling fortuitously off Connor Ripley before it was eventually cleared.
On 56 minutes the Valiants created the best chance of their own when Kyle John delivered a cross from the left which was met by Ben Garrity, who saw his header crash off the bar before Stockley rattled the woodwork once more as he followed up the rebound.
Vale ramped up the pressure in search of a breakthrough and on the hour mark forced another save from Swindon’s number one. Cover teed up George Byers on the edge of the penalty area and his well-struck effort was palmed behind by Bycroft.
The Valiants deservedly broke the Swindon resistance from the resulting corner as Byers thundered home a near post header which had too much power for Bycroft to keep out.
The visitors came close to equalising five minutes later as Butterworth slid Drinan through one-on-one once more and Drinan managed to poke the ball past Ripley, but John recovered well to clear from the six-yard box.
Despite being in front the Valiants continued to chase another goal and found it in the 85th minute. Cover stripped the ball off a Robins’ centre back on the edge of the box before calmly dinking the ball over the outrushing Bycroft to double the advantage.
Swindon pulled a goal back with two minutes of normal time remaining to set up a tense finish through visiting captain Will Wright, who curled a short-range free kick past Ripley in the Vale goal. However, the Valiants defended resiliently to secure all three points.
Port Vale: Connor Ripley, Ben Heneghan, Connor Hall, George Byers, Ben Garrity, Jayden Stockley (Ronan Curtis 90+3’), Lorent Tolaj (Ryan Croasdale 84’), Tom Sang, Kyle John, Brandon Cover (Jesse Debrah 90+3’), Antwoine Hackford (Ethan Chislett 70’)
Unused Subs: Ben Amos, Ruari Paton, Rico Richards
Swindon Town: Jack Bycroft, Tunmise Sobowale, Will Wright, Joel Cotterill, Gavin Kilkenny (Joel McGregor 82’), Miguel Freckleton, Kabongo Tshimanga, Danny Butterworth (Paul Glatzel 69’), Aaron Drinan (Sean McGurk 82’), George Cox, Harrison Minturn (Nnamdi Ofoborh 58’)
Unused Subs: Daniel Barden, Jake Cain, Dylan Mitchell
Author: Matt Carville, University of Staffordshire
