Vale’s unbeaten run in the league came to an end at the hands of Scunthorpe United this afternoon.

The opening five minutes were controlled by the hosts but the Valiants were able to keep them at arm’s length and prevent any attempts on goal.

Vale’s first chance of the game came from Cristian Montano, the left-back sprinted up the pitch to bring down the ball inside the Iron’s half, before using beautiful footwork to work into the box, find space and curl an effort just inches wide of the far post.

Scunthorpe looked to respond soon after on the counter-attack but Montano was this time the man to end the attack, a perfectly timed sliding challenge sending the ball out of play.

After a number of minutes where both teams were strong at the back and didn’t allow for the other to shoot, it was Scunthorpe’s James Perch who let fly from 25-yards, but his effort flew over the bar.

With 20 minutes of the half played, Scott Brown was called into action, as Abo Eisa dribbled into the area and fired a low effort at his near post, but Brown was able to get down and react to make an excellent save.

Five minutes later it was the Vale who were on the attack, David Amoo collected the ball from a free-kick and rifled an effort at goal that was deflected over for a corner.

The Iron broke on the counter from the resulting corner and Matthew Lund nicked the ball of Montano but Brown was out to gather the ball and end the threat.

As the clock hit 30 minutes it was the Vale who hit the back of the net, Jake Taylor rounding off a beautiful move to give the Vale the lead.

Montano picked the ball out the air and drove forward before laying it into the path of David Worrall who was free on the right wing, he found space in the box before rolling the ball back, where Taylor arrived to place it calmly into the bottom right corner and put the Valiants in front.

Just three minutes later Taylor nearly doubled his tally and Vale’s lead, rolling his man on the edge of the box before curling the ball towards the bottom left, but Jake Eastwood was able to get down and make the save, but not without worry as the ball popped up from under him after making the initial save.

The host’s pressure couldn’t be contained for much longer however, as Rory McArdle was played in down the right flank where he drilled the ball across the face of goal and Kevin Van Veen ran in to rocket the ball home from close range and bring Scunthorpe level.

Van Veen very nearly gave the Iron the lead just seconds from the end of the first-half, hitting a free-kick from 25-yards that curled right towards the top corner but Brown flew across his goal to make an incredible save.

Scunthorpe burst out the gates for the second period, whipping in a dangerous ball after just one minute, but Leon Legge was there to head the ball away.

The hosts early onslaught could only be contained for so long however, as they took the lead five minutes into the half when a corner was sent in and Brown appeared to catch it before a collision knocked it from his hands and Kgosi Ntlhe hammered the loose ball home.

The pressure was maintained by Scunthorpe, and they had a good chance to extend their lead in the 58th minute, as they broke on a three-on-one that was cut out by James Gibbons.

Just two minutes later the Iron again came close, as Lee Novak headed a ball that appeared to have gone out of play into the path of Abo Eisa who drove towards goal but was denied by the legs of Scott Brown.

With 65 minutes on the clock Brown was again called into action, Novak with a bullet header towards the bottom left corner but Brown was again able to get down and make another excellent save.

As the game entered the final 15 minutes Scott Brown continued to keep Vale in the game with a string of good saves, whilst Vale had lots of possession but struggled to forge a chance.

Vale kept pressing for an equaliser but couldn’t find space to create an effort on goal and Scunthorpe saw out the game for all three points.

Following the full-time whistle, both David Worrall and Scunthorpe's Matthew Lund were sent off for an off the ball altercation. 

Scunthorpe United: Eastwood, Clarke, Ntlhe, Lund, Van Veen (92’ Butler), Perch, Novak, Gilliead, McArdle, McGahey, Eisa (91’ Dales).

Unused Subs: Watson, Miller, Bedeau, Proctor, McAtee.

Port Vale: Brown, Gibbons, Joyce (68’ Conlon), Legge, Worrall, Montano, Amoo (78’ Browne), Smith, Burgess (53’ Cullen), Taylor, Bennett.

Unused Subs:, Brisley, Atkinson, Maddison, Evans.