Vale fell the wrong side of a 3-2 score line as Ipswich Town came out on top at Vale Park in an enthralling League One contest.
Goals from Gavin Massey, and Nathan Smith had drawn the Valiants level either side of half-time, but Freddie Ladapo’s second goal of an action-packed night did the job for the Visitors.
The Tractor Boys got the breakthrough in the 34th minute after a counter-attacking move found the feet of Leif Davis, who put in a low-driven cross for Ladapo to slide home.
Cameron Humphreys added their second just four minutes later through a brilliant low-driven effort after the ball was cleared to him on the edge of the area.
Massey halved the deficit in the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time, slamming home his first goal for the club after David Worrall headed across the box to set him up.
Smith pulled Vale level straight after the interval when the ball fell to him in the aftermath of a corner, and our number six smashed it home from six yards to send Vale Park crazy.
However, Ladapo grabbed his second of the match only four minutes after the equaliser, tapping in Humphreys pass from the byline after it took a deflection into his path.
Darrell Clarke made four changes to the starting 11 that secured victory at Cambridge United at the weekend, with Ellis Harrison and James Wilson both coming back into the side.
The visitors came out the blocks quickly with Aidan Stone forced into a good save low to his left to parry away Ladapo’s effort after three minutes.
Vale responded only moments later with a great chance of their own through Harrison when he latched onto a brilliant Worrall cross, but his header was fired just wide of the left-hand post.
After their first goal, Ipswich pressed forward, and it took a brilliant Stone save to stop Wes Burns from adding a second for the away side when he unleashed a ferocious half-volley.
Burns then tested Stone once again just before the interval when he raced on to a through ball, but his heavy touch allowed our number one to smother the ball away.
15 minutes into the second half Ben Garrity tried for the spectacular, and it nearly paid off, as his brilliant volley from 20 yards out flew just over the bar.
Will Forrester, who was the star man in Cambridgeshire, also tried his luck from distance when he found some space, but Christian Walton was equal to the strike.
The Valiants had one final opportunity in stoppage time when Ellis Harrison raced through, but he couldn’t quite stay on balance as he took a shot on the run, and it skewed wide.
Unfortunately, the Valiants could not find a late equaliser, but they will be back at Vale Park once again on Saturday in League One action.
Port Vale | Stone, Jones, Hall (68’ Benning), Smith (84’ Butterworth), Worrall (84’ Robinson), Garrity, Wilson (68’ Odubeko), Conlon, Forrester, Massey (68’ Politic), Harrison
Ipswich Town | Walton, Davis, Edmundson (75’ Keogh), Woolfenden, Burns (90+3’ Burns), Ladapo (65’ John-Jules), Chaplin (65’ Harness), Ball, Edwards (75’ Jackson), Humphreys, Donacien
Attendance | 7,928 (1,725 away)
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