Match ends, Port Vale 1, Crawley Town 2.
Port ValePort Vale1CrawleyCrawley Town2
Crawley came from behind to beat Port Vale and record their first victory in two months.
Nathan Smith's own goal with eight minutes left moved the visitors to within eight points of the play-off places in League Two with four games left.
Port Vale looked to have opened the scoring in the ninth minute when a Tom Pope header was somehow saved by Crawley goalkeeper Glenn Morris.
However, Pope did open the scoring when he turned in a low cross from James Gibbons.
Vale were well on top until referee Michael Jones adjudged Smith to have fouled Panutche Camara and pointed to the spot. The home players were furious with the officials but Joshua Payne made no mistake and levelled things up.
The game seemed destined for a draw, with any sort of flow interrupted by a number of fouls and off-ball altercations.
But the visitors secured all three points late on when the impressive Lewis Young made a brave foray into Port Vale's box and his perseverance paid off when his cross was turned into his own net by Smith.
Match report supplied by the Press Association.
Line-ups
Port Vale
Formation 4-4-2
- 12Hornby
- 21GibbonsBooked at 84mins
- 4Raglan
- 24SmithBooked at 29mins
- 11MontañoBooked at 50minsSubstituted forDavisat 63'minutes
- 10Worrall
- 6KaySubstituted forBarnettat 85'minutes
- 32Tonge
- 34Hannant
- 9PopeBooked at 22mins
- 31WhitfieldSubstituted forMyers-Harnessat 80'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Lainton
- 2Howe
- 5Davis
- 7Myers-Harness
- 14Barnett
- 15Forrester
- 19Turner
Crawley
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Morris
- 2Young
- 6Connolly
- 15Yorwerth
- 20TajbakhshBooked at 40mins
- 8Smith
- 4Payne
- 7BoldewijnSubstituted forSanohat 90+1'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 21Bulman
- 9Ahearne-GrantSubstituted forVerheydtat 84'minutes
- 28CamaraBooked at 47minsSubstituted forRobertsat 58'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Doherty
- 5McNerney
- 11Roberts
- 12Mersin
- 22Lelan
- 23Verheydt
- 27Sanoh
- Referee:
- Mike Jones
- Attendance:
- 4,005
Match Stats
Home TeamPort ValeAway TeamCrawley
- Possession
- Home45%
- Away55%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away5
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away2
- Corners
- Home7
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away13
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Port Vale 1, Crawley Town 2.
Post update
Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Josh Yorwerth.
Post update
Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Jordan Roberts.
Post update
Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Glenn Morris.
Booking
Moussa Sanoh (Crawley Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Joe Davis (Port Vale) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Moussa Sanoh (Crawley Town).
Post update
Joe Davis (Port Vale) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Moussa Sanoh (Crawley Town).
Substitution
Substitution, Crawley Town. Moussa Sanoh replaces Enzio Boldewijn because of an injury.
Post update
Attempt saved. Lewis Young (Crawley Town) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Post update
Nathan Smith (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Thomas Verheydt (Crawley Town).
Post update
Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Glenn Morris.
Post update
Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Mark Connolly.
Substitution
Substitution, Port Vale. Tyrone Barnett replaces Antony Kay.
Substitution
Substitution, Crawley Town. Thomas Verheydt replaces Karlan Ahearne-Grant.
Booking
James Gibbons (Port Vale) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by James Gibbons (Port Vale).
