Match report: Port Vale 1-0 Barnet
Tom Pope made it nine for the season as his late penalty was enough for Vale to beat Barnet on Saturday.
Vale started brightly and in-form Tom Pope missed a good chance to give Vale an early lead. However, Barnet came back into the game and some baffling refereeing from Anthony Backhouse saw it goalless at the interval and the officials leaving to a chorus of boos.
In the second-half, Marcus Harness had a good effort saved while Anton Forrester also had an effort saved.
With 15 minutes left, the Valiants brought on Montano and Turner for Harness and Forrester but ironically it was the visitors who had the next chance as their sub Akinola ran through a static Vale defence only for Ryan Boot to make a good save.
Moments later, defender James Gibbons was brought down in the box and a penalty was awarded. Tom Pope stepped up and made no mistake to make it 1-0 to the Valiants. That solitary strike was enough to win the game as Vale moved further away from the League Two danger zone.
Vale: Boot, Gibbons, Smith, Anderson, Gunning, Worrall, Kay, Pugh, Harness (Montano), Forrester (Turner), Pope
Subs: Hornby, Denton, Yates, Reeves
Attendance: 4,207 (106 away)