Match ends, Port Vale 2, Colchester United 0.
Port ValePort Vale2ColchesterColchester United0
Play-off hopefuls Port Vale stretched their unbeaten home League One record to 14 games by beating Colchester.
Theo Robinson put Vale ahead on nine minutes with his first goal for the club, firing home from 12 yards.
Bottom club Colchester struggled to test the home side, Vale keeper Chris Neal comfortably holding substitute Nathan Oduwa's shot in the second half.
Vale made the points safe when substitute Byron Moore crossed for Sam Foley to head in off the crossbar.
Much-travelled former Derby striker Robinson, signed on a free transfer from Motherwell at the end of January. was only playing because of 11-goal top scorer A J Leitch-Smith failing a morning fitness test on a hamstring injury.
Port Vale manager Rob Page told BBC Radio Stoke:
"Sometimes it isn't going to be pretty or go to plan. Sometimes you have to go off the cuff a little bit.
"I am really pleased for Theo Robinson because it has been a frustrating time for him since he has come in.
"Every striker wants to score goals for confidence for themselves. And he has worked his socks off. It has been a big ask of him because he is not an out and out target man."
Line-ups
Port Vale
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Neal
- 2Purkiss
- 26InnissBooked at 37mins
- 6Duffy
- 3Dickinson
- 9KennedySubstituted forMooreat 57'minutes
- 42Grant
- 8O'Connor
- 11Foley
- 10Dodds
- 25RobinsonSubstituted forHooperat 57'minutes
Substitutes
- 5McGivern
- 7Birchall
- 15Hooper
- 17Brown
- 18Kelly
- 19Moore
- 23Boot
Colchester
Formation 4-4-2
- 33Parish
- 2Garvan
- 18Eastman
- 26Harney
- 31Shorey
- 8Gilbey
- 4Edwards
- 10MoncurSubstituted forLeeat 54'minutes
- 28Ambrose
- 11MasseySubstituted forOduwaat 54'minutes
- 9PorterSubstituted forBonneat 66'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Wright
- 12Lee
- 19Bonne
- 20Lapslie
- 22Vincent-Young
- 25Barnes
- 30Oduwa
- Referee:
- Jeremy Simpson
- Attendance:
- 4,116
Match Stats
Home TeamPort ValeAway TeamColchester
- Possession
- Home49%
- Away51%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away3
- Corners
- Home3
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away8
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Port Vale 2, Colchester United 0.
Post update
Darren Ambrose (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Anthony Grant (Port Vale).
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Attempt missed. Michael O'Connor (Port Vale) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
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Anthony Grant (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Darren Ambrose (Colchester United).
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Attempt missed. Jamie Harney (Colchester United) header from very close range is too high following a corner.
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Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Ryan Inniss.
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Foul by Anthony Grant (Port Vale).
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Darren Ambrose (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Ryan Inniss.
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Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Ryan Inniss.
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Attempt blocked. Darren Ambrose (Colchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Foul by Anthony Grant (Port Vale).
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Elliot Lee (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt saved. Sam Foley (Port Vale) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Joe Edwards.
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Sam Foley (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Joe Edwards (Colchester United).
