Port Vale 1-1 Crewe Alexandra
Port Vale were held to a home draw by near neighbours Crewe Alex as Vale fans were able to focus their attention on the pitch following all the recent off-pitch revelations.
Micky Adams named an unchanged starting line-up, but former Crewe forward Tom Pope returned to the subs bench after injury.
Shuker and Taylor combined well as Louis Dodds rattled the woodwork after just three minutes. Then Loft broke free and Richards forced a brilliant save from Phillips in the Crewe goal.
Meanwhile, Nick Powell was causing the Vale defence problems forcing a couple of saves out of Tomlinson.
At half-time it finished goalless, but Vale got the perfect start to the second-half as Dave Artell put through his own net from Shuker’s cross on 49 minutes.
Powell was again Crewe’s main threat and he had another shot saved by Tomlinson on the hour mark. Then Crewe went even closer as Shelley hit the woodwork on 68 minutes.
And with twelve minutes left, Shaun Miller rounded Tomlinson and despite a clearance off the line Byron Moore headed home to level the scores.
Neither side was able to score the winner, but Vale’s attentions will now focus on the club’s finances with everyone hoping that this despicable and shameless board do not undo all Micky Adams’ hard-work by taking the club into administration.
Vale: Tomlinson, Loft, McDonald, McCombe, Taylor, Rigg, Griffith, Marshall (Morsy), Shuker (Williamson), Richards, Dodds (Pope)
Subs: Martin, Owen