Crewe Alexandra 0-1 Port Vale

Port Vale ended local rivals Crewe's seven-game unbeaten run in League Two thanks to Jake Taylor's second-half effort.

A tight derby match was settled on the hour mark by Taylor's close-range finish, leaving Crewe still to beat Vale on home turf in their last four meetings and dropping down to fourth.

Vale went close early on when Richie Bennett's close-range header from a corner was cleared off the line by Paul Green.

Crewe's first threat almost ended in a freak goal for Charlie Kirk with the attacker's driven cross catching out Scott Brown and clipping the far post.

Clear chances were at a premium, but Crewe found room around the Vale box to get shots away as Green fired high over, with Kirk going closer with an effort which flew wide.

The Alex were on the front foot at the start of the second half with Brown spilling Green's angled shot before the veteran got on the end of Kirk's cross, heading just wide at the far post.

Against the run of play, Vale took the lead with Taylor reacting the quickest to poke home from inside the six-yard box after Will Jaaskelainen pushed Nathan Smith's header from a corner onto the post.

Crewe responded well but leading scorer Chris Porter ballooned an effort over from 12 yards.

Vale were close to doubling their advantage as substitute Tom Pope's downward header was scrambled onto the bar by Jaaskelainen.

Brown preserved the visitors' lead by pushing out Porter's close-range header in the closing minutes.

Match report supplied by PA Media.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Crewe

• 1Jaaskelainen
• 2Ng
• 15Hunt
• 6Nolan
• 3Pickering
• 12GreenSubstituted forAneneat 75'minutes
• 4Wintle
• 16LowerySubstituted forJonesat 82'minutes
• 11AinleySubstituted forDaleat 63'minutes
• 9Porter
• 10Kirk

Substitutes

• 8Jones
• 13Richards
• 14Finney
• 17Anene
• 19Dale
• 23Johnson
• 25Adebisi

Port Vale

• 1BrownBooked at 90mins
• 2Gibbons
• 5LeggeBooked at 80mins
• 15Smith
• 11MontañoSubstituted forEvansat 69'minutes
• 20Burgess
• 4Joyce
• 16Taylor
• 19Amoo
• 21BennettSubstituted forPopeat 60'minutes
• 7Worrall

Substitutes

• 9Pope
• 13Cullen
• 17Browne
• 18Evans
• 28Brisley
• 29Archer
• 30Maddison

Referee:

Ross Joyce

Attendance:

7,705

Match Stats

Home TeamCreweAway TeamPort Vale

Possession

Home63%

Away37%

Shots

Home16

Away12

Shots on Target

Home2

Away3

Corners

Home3

Away6

Fouls

Home10

Away12

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Crewe Alexandra 0, Port Vale 1.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+6'

Second Half ends, Crewe Alexandra 0, Port Vale 1.

Posted at 90'+4'

Attempt missed. Charlie Kirk (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right.

Booking

Posted at 90'+3'

Scott Brown (Port Vale) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 90'+2'

Foul by Eddie Nolan (Crewe Alexandra).

Posted at 90'+2'

David Amoo (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 89'

Eddie Nolan (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 89'

Foul by Tom Pope (Port Vale).

Posted at 88'

Offside, Crewe Alexandra. Ryan Wintle tries a through ball, but Charlie Kirk is caught offside.

Posted at 87'

Attempt missed. David Amoo (Port Vale) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by David Worrall with a cross.

Posted at 86'

Attempt saved. Chris Porter (Crewe Alexandra) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Owen Dale with a cross.

Posted at 85'

Chuma Anene (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 85'

Foul by Luke Joyce (Port Vale).

Posted at 85'

Attempt missed. David Worrall (Port Vale) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Tom Pope.

Posted at 84'

Eddie Nolan (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 84'

Foul by Tom Pope (Port Vale).

Posted at 83'

Offside, Port Vale. David Amoo tries a through ball, but James Gibbons is caught offside.

Substitution

Posted at 82'

Substitution, Crewe Alexandra. James Jones replaces Tommy Lowery.

Booking

Posted at 80'

Leon Legge (Port Vale) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 80'

Chris Porter (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 80'

Foul by Leon Legge (Port Vale).

Posted at 79'

Charlie Kirk (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 79'

Foul by Scott Burgess (Port Vale).

Posted at 78'

Corner, Crewe Alexandra. Conceded by Callum Evans.

Posted at 78'

Attempt blocked. Perry Ng (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.

Posted at 78'

Attempt missed. David Amoo (Port Vale) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Luke Joyce with a headed pass.

Posted at 76'

Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Will Jaaskelainen.

Posted at 76'

Attempt saved. Tom Pope (Port Vale) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by David Worrall with a cross.

Substitution

Posted at 75'

Substitution, Crewe Alexandra. Chuma Anene replaces Paul Green.

Posted at 75'

Foul by Nicky Hunt (Crewe Alexandra).

Posted at 75'

Tom Pope (Port Vale) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 74'

Foul by Eddie Nolan (Crewe Alexandra).

Posted at 74'

Nathan Smith (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 74'

Owen Dale (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 74'

Foul by Tom Pope (Port Vale).

Posted at 72'

Attempt missed. Chris Porter (Crewe Alexandra) header from the left side of the six yard box is too high. Assisted by Ryan Wintle with a cross.

Posted at 70'

Attempt saved. Paul Green (Crewe Alexandra) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Harry Pickering.

Substitution

Posted at 69'

Substitution, Port Vale. Callum Evans replaces Cristian Montaño.

Posted at 69'

Corner, Crewe Alexandra. Conceded by James Gibbons.

Posted at 69'

Harry Pickering (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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