Port Vale 1-0 Coventry City

Defender Nathan Smith scored the only goal of the game as Port Vale beat promotion-chasing Coventry 1-0 at Vale Park.

The centre-back's late goal extended Vale's unbeaten league run to four games and continued their revival under new manager Neil Aspin, while the visitors missed the chance to move into the automatic promotion places.

It had taken 37 minutes for the home side to register the contest's first shot on target when Ben Whitfield's glancing header from Michael Tonge's free-kick flew straight into the arms of Lee Burge.

Vale almost went in front after 50 minutes when Marcus Harness beat Burge to a cross, but looped his header over with the goal gaping.

The Sky Blues struggled to test Vale keeper Ryan Boot but could have taken the lead in the 58th minute when Marc McNulty found Jack Grimmer at the back post, before his shot was saved.

But Smith popped up in the City box 11 minutes from time to meet Harness' cross and loop his header over Burge and into the net to win it for Vale.

Report supplied by Press Association.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Port Vale

• 23Boot
• 5DavisBooked at 90mins
• 24Smith
• 33GunningBooked at 90mins
• 8Pugh
• 7Myers-Harness
• 32TongeBooked at 28mins
• 6KayBooked at 71mins
• 31WhitfieldSubstituted forDentonat 67'minutes
• 14BarnettSubstituted forMontañoat 45'minutes
• 9Pope

Substitutes

• 1Lainton
• 3Denton
• 11Montaño
• 15Forrester
• 19Turner
• 20Kelly
• 28de Freitas

Coventry

• 1Burge
• 2Grimmer
• 12DaviesBooked at 50mins
• 4WillisSubstituted forPonticelliat 84'minutes
• 5McDonaldBooked at 36mins
• 3Stokes
• 8DoyleBooked at 62mins
• 26ShipleySubstituted forBeavonat 84'minutes
• 30Bayliss
• 9BiamouSubstituted forNazonat 69'minutes
• 10McNulty

Substitutes

• 13O'Brien
• 16Beavon
• 18Nazon
• 24Haynes
• 28Maycock
• 31Stevenson
• 38Ponticelli

Referee:

John Brooks

Attendance:

7,127

Match Stats

Home TeamPort ValeAway TeamCoventry

Possession

Home45%

Away55%

Shots

Home8

Away3

Shots on Target

Home2

Away1

Corners

Home7

Away2

Fouls

Home12

Away13

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Port Vale 1, Coventry City 0.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, Port Vale 1, Coventry City 0.

Booking

Posted at 90'+2'

Joe Davis (Port Vale) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 90'+2'

Foul by Joe Davis (Port Vale).

Posted at 90'+2'

Duckens Nazon (Coventry City) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Booking

Posted at 90'+2'

Gavin Gunning (Port Vale) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 90'+1'

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

Posted at 90'+1'

Foul by Michael Doyle (Coventry City).

Posted at 87'

Foul by Marcus Myers-Harness (Port Vale).

Posted at 87'

Chris Stokes (Coventry City) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 85'

Attempt saved. Duckens Nazon (Coventry City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.

Substitution

Posted at 84'

Substitution, Coventry City. Stuart Beavon replaces Jordan Shipley.

Substitution

Posted at 84'

Substitution, Coventry City. Jordan Ponticelli replaces Jordan Willis.

Posted at 82'

Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Rod McDonald.

Posted at 81'

Attempt missed. Chris Stokes (Coventry City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is just a bit too high.

Goal!

Posted at 79'

Goal! Port Vale 1, Coventry City 0. Nathan Smith (Port Vale) header from the left side of the six yard box to the top left corner. Assisted by Marcus Myers-Harness with a cross.

Posted at 79'

Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Jordan Willis.

Posted at 77'

Hand ball by Tom Pope (Port Vale).

Posted at 75'

Foul by Tom Pope (Port Vale).

Posted at 75'

Tom Davies (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 74'

Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Jordan Willis.

Posted at 73'

Attempt missed. Marcus Myers-Harness (Port Vale) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.

Booking

Posted at 71'

Antony Kay (Port Vale) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 71'

Foul by Antony Kay (Port Vale).

Posted at 71'

Michael Doyle (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Substitution

Posted at 69'

Substitution, Coventry City. Duckens Nazon replaces Maxime Biamou.

Substitution

Posted at 67'

Substitution, Port Vale. Tyler Denton replaces Ben Whitfield.

Posted at 65'

Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Jordan Willis.

Booking

Posted at 62'

Michael Doyle (Coventry City) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 62'

Marcus Myers-Harness (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 62'

Foul by Tom Davies (Coventry City).

Posted at 59'

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

Posted at 59'

Foul by Rod McDonald (Coventry City).

Posted at 58'

Corner, Coventry City. Conceded by Danny Pugh.

Posted at 56'

Marcus Myers-Harness (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 56'

Foul by Chris Stokes (Coventry City).

Posted at 53'

Foul by Tom Pope (Port Vale).

Posted at 53'

Tom Davies (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Booking

Posted at 50'

Tom Davies (Coventry City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 50'

Cristian Montaño (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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