This weekend the Valiants will aim to get straight back to winning ways and collect another three points on the road as they travel to the People’s Pension Stadium to take on Crawley Town. With the trip just two days away, we look back on two classic matches that the Vale have played against the Red Devils.

League One, People’s Pension Stadium, Tuesday 22nd October 2013: Crawley Town 0-3 Port Vale

Vale were four games without a win as they entered the fixture, whereas Crawley on the other hand were seven games unbeaten, but it was the Vale who made the early running.

Jordan Hugill, who was making his debut for the club, headed just wide with just five minutes gone, but the Vale got their breakthrough only five minutes later. Crawley goalkeeper Paul Jones and Joe Walsh left the ball for each other and Louis Dodds nipped in to take advantage and open the scoring for the Valiants.

The Vale then doubled their lead in the 27th minute, when Hugill played the ball to Doug Loft, who rifled a thunderous shot into the roof of Jones’ net. Dodds then nearly got his second of the game and Hugill had an effort saved as Vale continued to cause havoc.

After the break Loft fired just over the bar and Chris Robertson had a header saved before Vale finally got the third goal they had been pushing for in the 57th minute. Ben Williamson broke clear from the halfway line and then slotted his shot past Jones to wrap up the game.

Crawley Town – P.Jones, Simpson, Sadler, Bulman (Rooney 64’), McFadzean (Essam 45’), Walsh, Drury, M.Jones, Procter, Sinclair (Alexander 59’), Adams 

Subs not used – Hurst, Connelly, Torres, Maddison 

Port Vale – Neal, Yates, Robertson, Chilvers, Dickinson, Dodds, Griffith, Lines, Loft, Williamson (Birchall 83’), Hugill (Pope 75’) 

Subs not used – Myrie-Williams, Johnson, Shuker, Duffy, Hughes

Att. 2,748

League Two, People’s Pension Stadium, Saturday 5th August 2017: Crawley Town 1-3 Port Vale

It was the opening day of the season following relegation for the Vale who started the game with eight debutants, including Tom Pope’s second debut for the club following his return from Bury.

Vale under manager Michael Brown, took the lead after just nine minutes when a free-kick from Michael Tonge from just outside the area took a deflection to wrong-foot goalkeeper Glenn Morris.

The Vale then doubled their advantage in the 26th minute when Tonge took another free-kick, this time out on the wing, and Anthony Kay headed it home at the near post.

Crawley’s Enzio Boldewijn then had a shot saved by Rob Lainton before the Valiants came close to a third goal before the break when a cross by Marcus Harness was headed over by Cristian Montano.

Crawley, managed by Harry Kewell, pulled a goal back in the 53rd minute when Mark Randall sent Boldewijn clear to finish off a good move, and Boldewijin then shot wide and Dean Cox had an effort saved by Lainton as Crawley almost levelled.

However, the Vale sealed all three points in the 82nd minute when Harness, on loan from Burton Albion, sent over a pin point cross that Dan Turner gleefully headed past Morris for his first goal for the club.

Crawley T – Morris, Lelan, Connolly, Yorwerth (Payne 56), Young, Bulman, Randall, Evina, Boldewijn (Lewis 75), Verheydt, Roberts (Cox 64)

Subs not used – Harold, Mersin, Blackman, Djalo

Port Vale – Lainton, Wilson, Kay, Smith, Gunning, Montano (Turner 45), Pugh, Tonge (Reeves 65), Harness (Whitfield 84), De Freitas, Pope

Subs not used – Davis, Hornby, Forrester, Pyke 

Att. 2,270