Port Vale 2-0 Colchester United

Two goals from Doug Loft saw Port Vale revive their fading play-off hopes at the expense of a Colchester side playing their first game for 24 days.

Loft scored his sixth goal of the season when he swept in a low left-foot shot after 13 minutes.

His second came against the run of play early in the second half, a right-foot effort from 16 yards.

Vale were forced to soak up heavy pressure late on, with U's substitute Freddie Sears going close three times.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Port Vale

• 1Neal
• 2Yates
• 5Dickinson
• 18Lines
• 20GrimmerBooked at 90mins
• 17Davis
• 7Loft
• 21GriffithSubstituted forKnottat 87'minutes
• 39HugillSubstituted forWilliamsonat 76'minutes
• 11PopeBooked at 90minsSubstituted forDoddsat 90+2'minutes
• 3Jones

Substitutes

• 8Dodds
• 9Myrie-Williams
• 10Tomlin
• 12Johnson
• 19Williamson
• 26Birchall
• 28Knott

Colchester

• 44Walker
• 20Wilson
• 3Dickson
• 2WrightSubstituted forSearsat 64'minutes
• 18Eastman
• 4Okuonghae
• 25VoseSubstituted forMasseyat 77'minutes
• 15Bean
• 9MorrisonBooked at 44minsSubstituted forIbehreat 64'minutes
• 7Sanchez Watt
• 6Eastmond

Substitutes

• 1Cousins
• 11Sears
• 17Ibehre
• 21Massey
• 22Gilbey
• 23Olufemi
• 39Sesay

Referee:

Andy Haines

Attendance:

3,734

Match Stats

Home TeamPort ValeAway TeamColchester

Possession

Home52%

Away48%

Shots

Home10

Away11

Shots on Target

Home4

Away4

Corners

Home4

Away8

Fouls

Home6

Away6

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Port Vale 2, Colchester United 0.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, Port Vale 2, Colchester United 0.

Posted at 90'+4'

Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Chris Neal.

Posted at 90'+3'

Attempt saved. Jabo Ibehre (Colchester United) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal.

Substitution

Posted at 90'+2'

Substitution, Port Vale. Louis Dodds replaces Tom Pope.

Booking

Posted at 90'

Jack Grimmer (Port Vale) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 89'

Foul by Ben Williamson (Port Vale).

Posted at 89'

Craig Eastmond (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution

Posted at 87'

Substitution, Port Vale. Billy Knott replaces Anthony Griffith.

Posted at 87'

Attempt saved. Sanchez Watt (Colchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.

Posted at 86'

Attempt saved. Sanchez Watt (Colchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.

Posted at 85'

Attempt missed. Sanchez Watt (Colchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

Posted at 78'

Attempt missed. Doug Loft (Port Vale) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.

Substitution

Posted at 77'

Substitution, Colchester United. Gavin Massey replaces Dominic Vose.

Substitution

Posted at 76'

Substitution, Port Vale. Ben Williamson replaces Jordan Hugill.

Posted at 76'

Attempt missed. Freddie Sears (Colchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

Posted at 75'

Doug Loft (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 75'

Foul by Freddie Sears (Colchester United).

Posted at 75'

Attempt missed. Magnus Okuonghae (Colchester United) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.

Posted at 75'

Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Carl Dickinson.

Posted at 71'

Attempt missed. Jordan Hugill (Port Vale) right footed shot from long range on the right is too high.

Posted at 65'

Attempt missed. Marcus Bean (Colchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

Posted at 65'

Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Carl Dickinson.

Substitution

Posted at 64'

Substitution, Colchester United. Jabo Ibehre replaces Clinton Morrison.

Substitution

Posted at 64'

Substitution, Colchester United. Freddie Sears replaces David Wright.

Posted at 63'

Foul by Chris Lines (Port Vale).

Posted at 63'

Craig Eastmond (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 63'

Carl Dickinson (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 63'

Foul by Clinton Morrison (Colchester United).

Posted at 60'

Attempt saved. Brian Wilson (Colchester United) right footed shot from long range on the right is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 57'

Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Magnus Okuonghae.

Posted at 56'

Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Adam Yates.

Posted at 55'

Attempt saved. Tom Pope (Port Vale) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 54'

Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Tom Eastman.

Goal!

Posted at 53'

Goal! Port Vale 2, Colchester United 0. Doug Loft (Port Vale) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom left corner.

Posted at 51'

Foul by Carl Dickinson (Port Vale).

Posted at 51'

David Wright (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 51'

Doug Loft (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 51'

Foul by Marcus Bean (Colchester United).

Posted at 47'

Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Adam Yates.

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