KAY STARS IN ANOTHER

PORT Vale played in front of their lowest league crowd for more a decade as they scored an injury-time equaliser to salvage a point at home to Cheltenham Town.

Just 3,109 watched Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Vale Park, beating the 2,869 who witnessed the game against Yeovil in January 2008.

Those who stayed away may have avoided the driving rain and chilly conditions, but they also missed a thrilling end which saw two goals scored in the final three minutes.

Vale took the lead in fine style after just 13 minutes when Cristian Montano scored his fifth goal in four games.

However, they were quickly pegged back by the visiting Robins, who then dominated the second half when they had the driving rain at their backs, and got a deserved second in the 89th minute.

But Neil Aspin’s boys did not give up, and grabbed an equaliser in the second minute of added time, Antony Kay scoring a late goal for the second match in a row - after he sparked the comeback against Morecambe last weekend.

Aspin said: “I think they’ll be disappointed they’ve not won because we scored so late, but we had a good chance in the first half to go 2-0 up.

Reports from Vale Park

“Both teams could argue they could have won the game - so overall I think it was a fair result.”

Aspin made one change as Leon Legge returned to the starting XI, having missed the previous two games after suffering epileptic seizures.

Mitch Clark also made it to the bench following his recovery from the hamstring injury he suffered in the 1-0 defeat at home to Swindon three weeks ago.

Vale started brightly, and although Cheltenham kicked off, the hosts quickly won the ball and attacked down the left with Tom Conlon.

He swung the ball into the area where Montano got a touch, but couldn’t control.

Theo Vassell then had time and space in the left channel, and swung in a cross-shot that looked good, but it looped high and wide of the goal.

A ball down the right had Connell Rawlinson scampering down the wing.

His touch was heavy, but he did well to recover, keep the ball in play and then cut it back, but no-one was in the area. Then a cross from the left found the head of Tom Pope, but his effort was well over Flinders’ bar.

Then Cheltenham won a corner, swung in by Chris Hussey, headed clear by Rawlinson. But the Robins won it back and Hussey put another cross in, with Will Boyle just unable to meet it at the far post.

They took the lead in the 13th minute, as a neat through-ball was dummied by Conlon for Hannant, who got into the area and angled a shot towards the far post. It might have gone in anyway, but Montano, timing his run perfectly, made sure by firing into the open net for his fifth goal in four games.

Cheltenham sought an immediate response and Hussey got into the area on the left, but Legge cut out his attempted cross.

Then Boyle was allowed to make too much progress through the centre of the park before lifting a cross towards Luke Varney, whose glanced header was not far wide.

After some nice interplay down the right, Manny Oyeleke played a neat through ball for Luke Hannant, who was one-onone against Flinders, with Montano for support. He went for goal himself, but Flinders smothered the shot.

A neat passing move from the Robins saw Conor Thomas nutmeg Nathan Smith to find strike partner Varney.

His shot looked to be heading for the net, but Scott Brown punched clear.

Cheltenham equalised on 26 minutes. Sam Jones profited on a loose ball to tap home from two yards. Ryan Broom’s initial strike was kept out by Brown, but the rebound fell kindly to Jones, who tucked a finish into the corner of the net.

Kay tried his luck from distance but although Flinders spilled the shot, it