A brilliant headed goal from striker Jayden Stockley and a calm finish from Jaheim Headley earned Port Vale a win over Wimbledon and secured promotion to League One. Here’s our match report.
Team news
Port Vale manager Darren Moore made two changes to his starting line-up bringing in Rhys Walters in place of Rakeem Harper and Jaheim Headley in place of the injured Sam Hart. Youngster Jack Shorrock was named on the bench alongside former Wimbledon man Ronan Curtis.
First-Half
Port Vale were struggling to provide their strike duo with service and were grateful for a fine save from Ben Amos as it finished goalless at the break.
A frenetic start was halted for a pedantic and entirely unnecessary delay over the height of a corner flag.
When play eventually resumed, it took until 25 minutes for the first chance with Tolaj firing well over from Croasdale’s cross.
Wimbledon then took control. Firstly, a cross caused confusion in the box while the busy Croasdale blocked another effort. Meanwhile, Nathan Smith was on hand to block another effort from the home side and former Valiant Ryan Johnson headed wide from a corner.
Vale then had a chance when the ball dropped to Stockley in the box on 42 minutes but he was flagged offside. Wimbledon then saw an effort from Hutchinson force a fine save from Amos. That proved to be the last chance of the first period with the Dons on top but unable to break a resilient Vale backline.
Half-time: AFC Wimbledon 0-0 Port Vale
Second-Half
The Valiants finally secured control of the game and two quickfire goals, as Bradford’s loss saw the Vale secure promotion back to League One.
Wimbledon largely carried on in the same vein in the opening stages of the second-half. The home side had the better of the first exchanges albeit without fashioning a clear chance. Once again, it took Vale a long time to fashion the first chance of the half. On 55 minutes, Headley delivered a long cross, Hall knocked it onto the bar and Stockley was on hand to force the ball home. However, despite mass celebrations in the away end, it was flagged offside.
It sparked Vale into life and a 59th minute Headley corner was nearly forced home by Byers at the near post. Then the defining moment arrived from Headley’s free-kick as Stockley’s magnificent header put Vale in front on 64 minutes. A fabulous ball from George Byers then sent Jaheim Headley free and he calmly made it 2-0 on 67 minutes. A furious Wimbledon manager Johnnie Jackson was then dismissed.
The remainder of the game was largely uneventful in terms of chances but Vale fans won’t care less as there were joyous scenes at the end. The side are returning to League One and that’s surely all that matters.
Full-time: AFC Wimbledon 0-2 Port Vale
Summary
Let’s keep it brief. It may not have been smooth sailing all season but the job has been done. Congratulations to everyone at the club. Up the Vale!
Players
It was good to see Rhys Walters back in the starting eleven as he adds something to the midfield. George Byers and Ryan Croasdale also had good games as did Connor Hall with some surging runs. Jayden Stockley richly deserved his goal after a powerful display while Jaheim Headley, arguably Vale’s best player on the day, was coolness personified with the second.
Stats
Starting XI: Amos – Debrah, Smith Hall – Clark, Croasdale, Walters (Harper), Byers, Headley (Shorrock) – Stockley, Tolaj (Curtis)
Subs: Broome, Richards, Lowe, Hackford
Goals: Stockley (64), Headley (67)
Yellow cards: none
Attendance: 8,664 (1,201 visitors)
Competition: League Two
What did you think of the game and the performance? Scroll down and submit a comment.
Very professional display well done to everyone at Port Vale FC. Get in the Vale 😉
Great result and promotion well deserved, let’s hope we can go one better next Saturday and go up as champions. We’ll done to all at Vale Park.
Great match, you all should be very proud indeed, first half slow but what a performance, very very proud off all of you and good luck on Saturday make it count but enjoy it your already there, We’ll done everyone the vale are up No 1
Tonight the Vale are the pride of Potteries football. Congratulations to the club on achieving an immediate return to League 1, with the owners resourcing a very strong League 2 squad. Moore has been maligned for his team selections and tactics, but must be credited for delivering promotion at the first time of asking. He joins the select few who have navigated Vale promotions over the entire history of the club.
Was an excellent game to watch all the players where on edge but we managed to stamp our authority on the game with two quick goals that’s all we wanted and they never gave up they deserved the win and it was awesome at the end for the 1201 fans who travelled and I’ll bet Burslem hadn’t come down from the clouds yet keep the faith
Up the vale ✌
What an end to a rollercoaster season, at one point I thought Vale had blown there chances of promotion at times it was hard to watch them as they seemed to struggle to beat the lower teams, but I’m so thrilled they have done it & now the pressure is off I reckon we are in for a treat on Saturday. We might be the champions
I was a bit concerned at half time as Wimbledon seemed to have done their homework and closed down are wingbacks which left us a bit toothless and everything was a little bit untidy from both teams. The second half however was a totally different story, Vale seemed to go up a gear and Wimbledon struggled to find an answer. While everyone played their part my man of the match Stockley, who was throwing himself into tackle after tackle, scored a brilliant goal and was posing the Wimbledon back line all sorts of trouble. Headley managed to get the better of his marker and flung several excellent balls into their box, also a word for Byers who had his best game for the Vale by a country mile. The closing stages reminded me of the Mansfield playoff final. The sun was shining, Vale were in full command and coasting to victory and it was party time. The icing on the cake would be the championship but no doubt Doncaster are thinking exactly the same thing. People know my opinion of Moore, and I still think if it had not been for the fans turning on him at Grimsby after the poor run of results and the way he was running thinks the changes would never had come about nor promotion.
We are back. The slumbering giant still exists. UTV