WILSON LATE SHOW KEEPS VALE HOPES ALIVE
GAME ON. James Wilson’s 83rd-minute strike has given Port Vale a foothold in their play-off semi-final against Swindon just as it seemed their hopes of promotion were slipping away.
Wilson’s 13th goal of the season, prodded home at the back post, means Swindon will only bring a 2-1 lead to Vale Park for Thursday’s second leg.
So, advantage Swindon but the damage is at least limited after a tough afternoon for the Vale and their 1,600 travelling supporters at the County Ground.
Those fans were housed in the roofless end behind a goal, so the afternoon started badly when it started raining, and got considerably worse when former Vale forward Harry Mckirdy netted on 26 and 68 minutes to point his side in the direction of Wembley.
Vale were scrambling just to stay in the tie after Mckirdy’s second goal led to his name being bellowed out across the sold-out home stands, and no doubt muttered under the breath of the away supporters who were still drying out.
Wilson’s goal keeps the tie in the balance ahead of Vale’s first home play-off tie since 1993, but they will have to lift their game against a Swindon side who finished the season with the best away record in the division.
Vale Park will still be an advantage, but only if Vale can keep the ball with more assurance having been well below their best here.
Darrell Clarke made two changes to the side that started last week’s 1-0 win at Exeter as Harry Charsley and Dave Worrall were called into the starting eleven in place of Jamie Proctor, who is carrying a hip injury, and Chris Hussey who was out of the 18 with the injury that forced him off at Exeter.
Vale started 3-5-2 with Worrall and James Gibbons at right and left wing-back respectively and Charsley given the attacking midfield role, pushed up in support of Wilson and Ryan Edmondson.
Vale would have gladly taken a repeat of their 2-1 win at the County Ground in September and threatened after just four minutes when Ben Garrity, the scorer of both goals in the league win, sent a 25-yard volley dipping just over.
Their determination to press the home defence and keeper Lewis Ward was evident in the opening stages.
They were also trying to keep a grip on midfield dangerman Jonny Williams but Charsley overstepped the mark with a sliding challenge that escaped a booking despite the appeals of the home players.
But the tireless Charsley found Garrity whose shot was blocked in the area before the ball was worked back to Wilson whose strike was charged down on the edge of the box. Mckirdy gave a warning of what was to come as he skated past Connor Hall before the ball ran to Jack Payne on the right of the area.
There was almost no angle to shoot but he had a go anyway, forcing Aidan Stone to beat the ball away at his near post.
But Stone was beaten on 26 minutes when Williams’ inswinging corner was met at the near post by Mckirdy with a glancing header.
The former Vale forward pointed at and celebrated in front of the unimpressed Vale fans behind the goal before running off to the congratulations of his teammates.
It could have got worse quickly for Vale when Jack Payne found space on the edge of the area but his effort was beaten away by Stone.
At the other end, Hall decided not to shoot on his right but found Edmondson whose effort from the edge of the area was straight to keeper Ward.
Charsley was booked for a foul on Louis Reed, on 42 minutes, before a vicious strike from Williams, from 25 yards, was tipped over by Stone.
The first corner was put behind by Gibbons, but the second dropped to Mckirdy who volleyed just wide.
There was still time for controversy before the break as Mckirdy went down as he challenged for the ball with Martin.
Referee Ross Joyce played on and Connor Hall stormed across, finger jabbing furiously at Mckirdy.
Hall continued to remonstrate with Mckirdy after the halftime whistle as more players got involved before the sides retreated to the dressing rooms to prepare for round two.
Smith rose to meet Worrall’s freekick but couldn’t get over the ball and headed well over.
But Vale came closer when Wilson got away a left-footed shot from 20 yards that scuttled just wide of the far post.
The introduction of Jamie Proctor, for Edmondson on 63 minutes, would help but it was Swindon who came closer first when Mckirdy threw himself at Ellis Iandolo’s ball across the face of goal but just failed to connect.
However, Swindon made it 2-0 on 68 minutes when Mckirdy found Payne on the right of the area.
His low shot was blocked by Stone’s outsretched arm but Mckirdy pounced on the rebound, volleying the ball into the roof of the net from 12 yards.
Swindon went close to a third as Aaron Martin was caught in possession by Mckirdy before Josh Davison chipped a shot over from the edge of the area.
Clarke made his final change as Mal Benning came on for Aaron Martin – and Vale pulled a goal back on 83 minutes when Proctor’s
shot was converted by Wilson at the far post. Proctor’s low strike took a slight deflection before Wilson reacted quickest, beating the defender to the ball and slotting home as Swindon looked in vain for an offside flag.
Vale could even have grabbed a leveller as the crestfallen home side struggled to regain the initiative. Benning’s free-kick found Wilson who had pulled away at the near post but his header was beaten away by Ward.