Match-winner Aaron Donnelly was ecstatic to have netted his first career goal as the Valiants secured a well-deserved 1-0 victory against MK Dons at Vale Park.

• Aaron Donnelly | “I was absolutely buzzing when the ball hit the back of the net”
• Port Vale defender speaks to the media following his first goal in Vale colours and our 1-0 win over the Dons.
• Donnelly: “While the goal went in there was a minute's applause for a death that happened, so I really hope that this family are really pleased and he was looking down.”

Port Vale defender said he was ‘buzzing’ when his first senior goal hit the back of the net in Vale’s victory over MK Dons, with the win seeing Darrell Clarke’s side rise to 13^th in League One.

Donnelly struck during the 22^nd minute of the match, and during that time Vale Park was paying their respects to Brian Blackhurst who sadly passed away recently, at the age of 83.

The whole Blackhurst family follow the Vale, and our young loanee hoped his winning goal brought them joy during a tough period.

“While the goal went in there was a minute's applause for a death that happened, so I really hope that his family are really pleased and he's looking down,” said Donnelly.

The 19-year-old’s first goal in senior football was a special moment, and he couldn’t hide his smile when speaking to the press after the match.

Donnelly said: “I was absolutely buzzing when the ball hit the back of the net, it was bobbling around the box and Wozz [David Worrall] took a shot on goal and it's landed to me.

“It just fell to my right foot, it fell nice on the volley as well, and thankfully, it went in the bottom corner, the goalkeeper nearly got it, but I was wheeling away in celebration."

Clarke’s team have dominated sides in recent weeks and not picked up the points they deserved; however, our left-sided defender is glad they grabbed the win this week.

“There weren’t many chances in the game, we hit the post in the second half, but I thought we played very well,” added Donnelly.

“We said after the game, we needed to find a way to win, and we did that. We were building on the last two games, which were two excellent performances we got nothing out of, but today was a different game.

“We maybe didn't play as well, but we got something out of it, you just need to find a way to win, and thankfully we did today.”

Our number five and the rest of the team now look forward to next week’s clash with Fleetwood Town at Highbury Stadium, and they will be looking to build on this weekend’s victory.