CLARKE WEARS CROWN AS VALE RULE SUPREME
League Two Play-Off Final
0 Port Vale 3
Mansfield
BY MIKE WALTERS
MOVE over Robbie Williams, step aside
Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor – in the kiln fields of the Potteries, Darrell Clarke is the new king of Port Vale.
As Clarke, born in Mansfield and a former Stags favourite, plotted a Wembley romp that will haunt his home town for years, only the stoniest heart would have begrudged him this triumph after his personal grief.
Earlier this year, the Vale manager was given six weeks’ compassionate leave following the death of his 18-year-old daughter Ellie, and he only made a comeback in the dugout, after a phased return to work, for the final game of the regular season at Exeter.
But as Burslem royalty, including a Take That heart-throb and the greatest darts player of all time, celebrated promotion to League One from a safe distance, Clarke was in tears for the last five minutes as he glanced skywards.
He said: “This is special because of what my family have been through. I don’t want sympathy, but I like to think she is kicking every ball up there.”
Both sets of fans united in a minute’s applause for Clarke and he was visibly moved by the gesture, adding: “That was very special – she was Mansfield born and bred and for those fans to do that touched me greatly.”
Kian Harratt had already struck the inside of a post from 20 yards for Vale before his luck turned 60 seconds later, stooping to conquer unmarked from
Mal Benning’s driven cross.
And the Stags were rocking when Ben Garrity’s far-post header hit the bar and former Manchester United striker James Wilson nodded his 15th goal of the season from the rebound.
Any chance of a Mansfield comeback was effectively killed off by Oli Hawkins’ brainless dismissal 10 minutes before the break for a second booking.
Benning met David Worrall’s deep cross with a stunning far-post volley in the 85th minute to settle any arguments and underline Vale’s superiority.
Stags boss Nigel Clough said: “We didn’t do ourselves justice today. To come back from 2-0 down with 10 men is almost impossible. It’s still been a successful season, if not the success we wanted.”