Port Vale 2-3 Swindon Town
Tom Pope ended his recent goal drought but three goals in eighteen minutes saw Swindon snatch a dramatic 3-2 win at Vale Park.
Micky Adams made three changes to his side with Carl Dickinson replacing Jones, Jennison Myrie-Williams replacing Dodds and Billy Knott making his full debut in place of Anthony Griffith.
Early pressure from Swindon as Vale’s defensive drills this week were tested by a number of corners. The visitors also had the game’s first chance as an unmarked Pritchard missed a good chance.
But on 20 minutes Vale took the lead as Myrie-Williams fed captain Doug Loft to hit his fifth goal of the season. Three minutes before the break, Tom Pope scored his first goal since his strike against Plymouth on January 5th to put Vale firmly in control at half-time.
But the game completely changed after the break. Just six minutes into the second period, the dangerous Nile Ranger pulled one back. Then Swindon rattled the woodwork twice in a matter of minutes as Smith hit the post and Ranger hit the crossbar.
But the pressure paid of as the visitors equalised on the hour mark through a fine Alex Pritchard free-kick.
And Swindon then scored their third goal in the space of eighteen minutes as Nathan Byrne netted to put the visitors 3-2 ahead.
Vale responded by bringing Jordan Hugill on but that three goal blast seemed to have rattled the Valiants as the visitors nearly claimed a fourth with thirteen minutes left.
Vale tried to apply pressure in the closing stages, but failed to create any clear-cut chances as the visitors ended Vale’s recent good run of form at home.
Vale: Neal, Grimmer, Davis, Robertson, Dickinson, Myrie-Williams, Knott (Hugill), Lines, Loft, Tomlin (Griffith), Pope (Williamson)
Subs: Johnson, Birchall, Jones, Yates
Attendance: 5,306