Port Vale 2-1 Crawley Town

A mistake by Crawley keeper Paul Jones gifted Port Vale victory in a game which saw both sides reduced to 10 men.

Town wasted numerous chances before Billy Clarke deservedly put them ahead at the break, scoring with a penalty after Joe Davis felled Rory Fallon.

Vale levelled through Billy Knott's 20-yard shot and Crawley then had Dannie Bulman sent off for a second caution.

Doug Loft's powerful strike crept past Jones to seal the win for Vale, who then had Chris Robertson sent off.

Robertson saw red for violent conduct following an altercation with Mark Connolly.

Crawley Town boss John Gregory told BBC Surrey:

Media playback is not supported on this device

Post-match: Crawley manager Gregory

"That's probably the best we've played since I've been here and it's just about not taking chances in front of goal. I've become a bit of an old gramophone in the last couple of games.

"There were chances to win that game and I am getting a bit fed up repeating myself week after week. It's rather difficult to stand here and try and explain how we lost that game and that is the harsh reality.

"A lot of their fans called me over because they wanted to say they couldn't believe Port Vale had won the game and that quite a few of them said that we were the best team that has played here this season. But of course that means absolute zilch if you've not won the game.

"We certainly cannot afford to miss opportunities like that to win the game."

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Port Vale

• 12Johnson
• 24Duffy
• 3Jones
• 18Lines
• 17Davis
• 4RobertsonBooked at 90mins
• 9Myrie-WilliamsSubstituted forBirchallat 79'minutes
• 28KnottSubstituted forTaylorat 80'minutes
• 11Pope
• 10TomlinSubstituted forHugillat 78'minutes
• 7Loft

Substitutes

• 2Yates
• 5Dickinson
• 8Dodds
• 14Taylor
• 21Griffith
• 26Birchall
• 39Hugill

Crawley

• 1Jones
• 29Connolly
• 3Sadler
• 10Drury
• 4ConnollyBooked at 90mins
• 12Walsh
• 11Simpson
• 15BulmanBooked at 67mins
• 9FallonSubstituted forProctorat 79'minutes
• 7ClarkeSubstituted forTorresat 82'minutes
• 21Jones

Substitutes

• 8Torres
• 14Proctor
• 16Kaikai
• 17Boateng
• 19Monakana
• 25Maddison
• 28Dicker

Referee:

Nigel Miller

Attendance:

3,755

Match Stats

Home TeamPort ValeAway TeamCrawley

Possession

Home48%

Away52%

Shots

Home7

Away10

Shots on Target

Home4

Away4

Corners

Home1

Away4

Fouls

Home9

Away6

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Port Vale 2, Crawley Town 1.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+6'

Second Half ends, Port Vale 2, Crawley Town 1.

Posted at 90'+3'

Tom Pope (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 90'+3'

Foul by Joe Walsh (Crawley Town).

Posted at 90'+3'

Corner, Crawley Town. Conceded by Jordan Hugill.

Booking

Posted at 90'+1'

Mark Connolly (Crawley Town) is shown the yellow card.

Dismissal

Posted at 90'

Chris Robertson (Port Vale) is shown the red card for a bad foul.

Posted at 89'

Foul by Chris Robertson (Port Vale).

Posted at 89'

Sergio Torres (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 87'

Foul by Daniel Jones (Port Vale).

Posted at 87'

Jamie Proctor (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Goal!

Posted at 84'

Goal! Port Vale 2, Crawley Town 1. Doug Loft (Port Vale) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner.

Substitution

Posted at 82'

Substitution, Crawley Town. Sergio Torres replaces Billy Clarke.

Posted at 82'

Attempt saved. Billy Clarke (Crawley Town) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Substitution

Posted at 80'

Substitution, Port Vale. Robert Taylor replaces Billy Knott.

Substitution

Posted at 79'

Substitution, Crawley Town. Jamie Proctor replaces Rory Fallon.

Substitution

Posted at 79'

Substitution, Port Vale. Chris Birchall replaces Jennison Myrie-Williams.

Substitution

Posted at 78'

Substitution, Port Vale. Jordan Hugill replaces Gavin Tomlin.

Posted at 76'

Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Paul Jones.

Posted at 75'

Attempt saved. Doug Loft (Port Vale) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.

Posted at 75'

Foul by Billy Knott (Port Vale).

Posted at 75'

Paul Connolly (Crawley Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 73'

Attempt missed. Tom Pope (Port Vale) header from the centre of the box is too high.

Posted at 70'

Billy Knott (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 70'

Foul by Josh Simpson (Crawley Town).

Dismissal

Posted at 67'

Second yellow card to Dannie Bulman (Crawley Town).

Posted at 67'

Billy Knott (Port Vale) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 67'

Foul by Dannie Bulman (Crawley Town).

Posted at 66'

Attempt saved. Billy Clarke (Crawley Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 64'

Corner, Crawley Town. Conceded by Daniel Jones.

Posted at 59'

Attempt missed. Rory Fallon (Crawley Town) left footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.

Posted at 56'

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

Posted at 56'

Foul by Josh Simpson (Crawley Town).

Goal!

Posted at 50'

Goal! Port Vale 1, Crawley Town 1. Billy Knott (Port Vale) left footed shot from outside the box to the top right corner.

Posted at 49'

Attempt missed. Rory Fallon (Crawley Town) header from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right.

Second Half

Posted at

Second Half begins Port Vale 0, Crawley Town 1.

Half Time

Posted at 45'+2'

First Half ends, Port Vale 0, Crawley Town 1.

Posted at 42'

Attempt missed. Mark Connolly (Crawley Town) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.

Posted at 41'

Corner, Crawley Town. Conceded by Chris Robertson.

Posted at 38'

Billy Clarke (Crawley Town) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Show more updates