LAST-GASP ROBINS STUN VALE
MARC Richards came back to haunt his former club – before supersub Paul Mullin grabbed the points to leave Swindon manager David Flitcroft smiling.
The form book suggested it should have been an easy day for Swindon, playing against a Vale side who haven’t won away from home since mid-December.
However, the visitors put up a Valiant fight before an 88th-minute winner gave the Robins a six-point play-off cushion.
Vale haven’t won at Swindon since 2005 and are seven points clear of the drop - but without a win since the turn of the year.
A delighted Flitcroft said: “Port Vale were never going to lie down, they didn’t, and we had to drag ourselves from a real difficult place and the lads did that.
“I’d probably have settled for a point to be honest.
“People will be saying ‘it’s only Port Vale’ but I respect every professional football club because they work so hard.
“They came here fighting, we knew it’d be difficult but the three points is massive for us.”
Neither keeper made a save in a crazy opening 45 minutes at the County Ground as struggling Vale took the lead after just 11 minutes.
Michael Tonge lost his marker in the box to head home David Worrall’s pinpoint cross before top scorer Tom Pope headed over.
But the hosts equalised and it was Vale’s former forward Richards who levelled things up.
He spent almost five years at Vale Park but there was no room for sentiment as he did well to get on the end of Matty Taylor’s ball.
The second goal summed up Vale’s luck as keeper Ryan Boot’s clearance cannoned off his own player with Luke Norris putting it on a plate for Richards to double his tally after 39 minutes.
On the stroke of half time Cristian Montano squared things up when he diverted Tonge’s corner past Reice CharlesCook.
Ollie Banks hit a tough effort into the stands from a fizzed pass after Joe Davis should have done better when he headed over at the other end.
Boot made a decent save to get himself behind Timi Elsnik’s rocket, before a much easier stop to deny Kaiyne Woolery. Mullin had only been on the pitch eight minutes when Kyle Knoyle knocked Taylor’s cross into his path to wrap up the points. But deflated boss Neil Aspin believes Vale will soon turn things around after a much-improved performance. He said: “We deserved something from the game, it was a lot better than last week’s disappointing performance. “We were unfortunate to lose the game, but there are a lot of positives to take. At least I’m looking at a team who has a chance at survival.”