Port Vale 1-2 Sheffield United
Louis Dodds netted his fourth of the season but Port Vale ended their home campaign with a defeat to Nigel Clough’s in-form Sheffield United.
Micky Adams was able to name Richard Duffy in his starting eleven but he also made four more changes as Vale switched to a 4-4-1-1 formation. Ben Williamson led the line with Chris Lines just behind while Anthony Griffith and Jennison Myrie-Williams were brought into the midfield.
Vale had the first real chance on five minutes as Lines struck the post and then the ball was cleared off the line. The visitors rallied and had a period of pressure but it was otherwise a generally scrappy first-half.
However, Vale broke the deadlock early in the second-half as Louis Dodds netted his fourth of the season with a near-post finish. That goal sparked the crowd into life and there were numerous chants of “one Micky Adams” as the fans showed their appreciation for an excellent return to League One football.
But with ten minutes to go, the visitors turned things around – first Jamie Murphy levelled matters on 83 minutes and then Chris Porter made it 2-1 just five minutes later. With just minutes remaining, Vale were unable to rally as the visitors held on to secure all three points.
Vale: Johnson, Yates, Duffy, Robertson, Dickinson, Dodds (Lloyd), Griffith (Shuker), Knott, Myrie-Williams, Lines, Williamson (Hugill)
Subs: Smith, Tomlin, Birchall
Attendance: 6,394 (937 away)