Port Vale 3-0 Crewe Alexandra

Louis Dodds took his season's tally to eight League One goals for Port Vale

Crewe Alexandra's four-season stay in League One was ended by their local rivals as Port Vale sentenced them to relegation.

Louis Dodds scored both goals as Vale's victory confirmed their neighbours' return to League Two.

Dodds hit the opener in only the third minute before sealing victory seven minutes from time.

JJ Hooper then curled a superb third for Vale in injury time to relegate Crewe with still five games remaining.

Having flirted with relegation for the past two seasons, the Alex have struggled particularly over the second half of the season.

This was a sixth straight defeat for Steve Davis's side, who have now won just once since late November - and only six times all season.

Early goal sets Vale on their way

The Valiants got off to a flier, when Crewe failed to clear Michael O'Connor's left-wing corner and Dodds pounced to drive in a low left-foot shot off the post from 14 yards.

Crewe improved after making a double substitution at half-time, but Vale wrapped up the points with Dodds' second goal when he smashed into an empty net after Hooper's shot had been saved by Alex keeper Ben Garratt.

Hooper then received a pass from Michael Brown to curl in Vale's third with a terrific right-foot shot from 16 yards which flew inside the stranded Garratt's left-hand post.

'Sad day' for the Alex - Davis

Port Vale manager Rob Page told BBC Radio Stoke:

"it was an excellent performance, as it was a difficult test for us in many aspects. I know Crewe are rock bottom and they have gone down today but he made changes.

"Every time they play against us he changes it and goes more physical, and sort of goes away from what he normally does where they get the ball down and play.

"So, we knew we had to match that. We got off to the best start and that's what I asked them to do. Start fast come out of the traps and get an early goal. We certainly did that.

Crewe manager Steve Davis told BBC Radio Stoke:

"It's a sad day for the football club, but we've not gone down because of today. It's because of what has happened over the course of the season. We've not been able to win enough games.

"I've been talking to the players about what we can learn, tried to be diplomatic with them and realise what it means.

"We're disappointed that we've not taken it to the death like we have before. We all share the emotions of being relegated. It's not a nice feeling. It hurts just as much as a manager as it did as a player."

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Port Vale

• 21Alnwick
• 2Purkiss
• 4StreeteBooked at 73mins
• 6Duffy
• 3Dickinson
• 18KellySubstituted forMooreat 53'minutes
• 42Grant
• 8O'ConnorSubstituted forBrownat 82'minutes
• 11Foley
• 10Dodds
• 20Leitch-SmithSubstituted forHooperat 64'minutes

Substitutes

• 5McGivern
• 7Birchall
• 15Hooper
• 17Brown
• 19Moore
• 23Boot
• 25Robinson

Crewe

• 1Garratt
• 2Turton
• 5RayBooked at 1mins
• 4Davis
• 3GuthrieSubstituted forBinghamat 45'minutes
• 41Bakayogo
• 20JonesSubstituted forCooperat 77'minutes
• 15Fox
• 31Kirk
• 39UdohSubstituted forAinleyat 45'minutes
• 9Haber

Substitutes

• 6Nugent
• 11Cooper
• 12Dalla Valle
• 13Richards
• 18Bingham
• 25Ainley
• 36Hitchcock

Referee:

Paul Tierney

Attendance:

5,771

Match Stats

Home TeamPort ValeAway TeamCrewe

Possession

Home56%

Away44%

Shots

Home10

Away3

Shots on Target

Home5

Away0

Corners

Home5

Away2

Fouls

Home9

Away11

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Port Vale 3, Crewe Alexandra 0.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+4'

Second Half ends, Port Vale 3, Crewe Alexandra 0.

Goal!

Posted at 90'+2'

Goal! Port Vale 3, Crewe Alexandra 0. JJ Hooper (Port Vale) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Michael Brown.

Posted at 87'

Attempt missed. Sam Foley (Port Vale) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

Posted at 84'

Foul by JJ Hooper (Port Vale).

Posted at 84'

George Ray (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Goal!

Posted at 83'

Goal! Port Vale 2, Crewe Alexandra 0. Louis Dodds (Port Vale) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner.

Substitution

Posted at 82'

Substitution, Port Vale. Michael Brown replaces Michael O'Connor.

Posted at 82'

Anthony Grant (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 82'

Foul by David Fox (Crewe Alexandra).

Posted at 80'

Attempt saved. Byron Moore (Port Vale) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.

Posted at 78'

Attempt missed. Richard Duffy (Port Vale) header from the centre of the box misses to the right.

Posted at 78'

Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Ben Garratt.

Substitution

Posted at 77'

Substitution, Crewe Alexandra. George Cooper replaces James Jones.

Posted at 77'

Byron Moore (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 77'

Foul by Zoumana Bakayogo (Crewe Alexandra).

Posted at 76'

Attempt missed. Ben Purkiss (Port Vale) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

Posted at 75'

Foul by Byron Moore (Port Vale).

Posted at 75'

Zoumana Bakayogo (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 74'

Attempt blocked. James Jones (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Booking

Posted at 73'

Remie Streete (Port Vale) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 73'

Foul by Remie Streete (Port Vale).

Posted at 73'

Charlie Kirk (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Substitution

Posted at 64'

Substitution, Port Vale. JJ Hooper replaces A-Jay Leitch-Smith.

Posted at 63'

Attempt saved. Anthony Grant (Port Vale) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.

Posted at 62'

Attempt missed. A-Jay Leitch-Smith (Port Vale) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is too high.

Posted at 61'

Michael O'Connor (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 61'

Foul by James Jones (Crewe Alexandra).

Posted at 58'

Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Harry Davis.

Posted at 55'

Attempt missed. Byron Moore (Port Vale) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right.

Posted at 54'

A-Jay Leitch-Smith (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 54'

Foul by Harry Davis (Crewe Alexandra).

Substitution

Posted at 53'

Substitution, Port Vale. Byron Moore replaces Sam Kelly.

Posted at 51'

Richard Duffy (Port Vale) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 51'

Foul by Oliver Turton (Crewe Alexandra).

Posted at 47'

Attempt missed. James Jones (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.

Second Half

Posted at

Second Half begins Port Vale 1, Crewe Alexandra 0.

Substitution

Posted at 45'

Substitution, Crewe Alexandra. Callum Ainley replaces Daniel Udoh.

Substitution

Posted at 45'

Substitution, Crewe Alexandra. Billy Bingham replaces Jon Guthrie.

Half Time

Posted at 45'+4'

First Half ends, Port Vale 1, Crewe Alexandra 0.

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