Coventry 2-3 Port Vale
Midfielder Michael O’Connor’s free-kick sealed a five goal thriller in Vale’s favour as the Valiants made it four wins in five games.
Rob Page somewhat surprisingly named the same starting eleven for the fifth game in a row but it seemed to be no avail as Coventry took an early lead. A long-shot from O’Brien went past an unsighted Neal and that seemed to knock the wind out of Vale’s sails as they struggled to impose themselves.
The Valiants were rocked again when influential defender Ryan Inniss was carried off but in the last five minutes before the break Vale completely turned things around. On forty minutes, Tom Pope scored his eleventh of the season to level things up and five minutes later, the impressive Mark Marshall finished what was a good Vale move to score his fourth goal in the last six games and his first against his former club.
Coventry pushed for the equaliser in the second period but Vale also had a decent chance for Byron Moore. However, the home side equalised against the run of play when sub Odelusi scored following good work from Nouble.
But Vale went back in front when good work from Brown forced a free-kick. Michael O’Connor stepped up to steer the ball into the net for his fourth of the season. Coventry did have the odd chance in the closing stages but Vale also appealed for a penalty when Pope went down in the box.
A fourth goal would certainly have been nice but despite that minor setback, Vale’s backline held firm to record an excellent away win and keep their play-off hopes alive.
Vale: Neal, Veseli, Inniss (McGivern), Robertson, Dickinson, Marshall, Brown, O’Connor, Moore (Daniel), Williamson (Dodds), Pope
Subs: Johnson, Yates, Birchall, Lines