Kian Harratt scores again but it's not enough for ten men Vale this afternoon.
A return to league action at home for the first time since late November. Harry McKirdy had the first opportunity of the game when Tyreece Simpson, who looked to be a yard offside, flicked the ball on to McKirdy in the area but his shot was tame which was easy for Lucas Covolan.
Swindon crept above the Valiants in the table due to our postponements and were the more dangerous side in the early stages. Ben Gladwin let loose from around 20-yards which Covolan tipped over the bar.
Simpson, the man who got Swindon’s only goal in the reverse fixture, looked lively in the first quarter of an hour. He had a shot from inside the area but again it was easy for the Brazilian in goal. On 20 minutes Swindon scored the opener through Jonathan Williams with a nice move which slid the Welshman into the area and slotted the ball into the net.
But six minutes later, out of nothing, Kian Harratt took the ball and ran at the defence. With no other options, he struck an effort from around 25-yards out which beautifully curled into the bottom corner to level the scores. Mckirdy picked the ball up in midfield and went on a run into the penalty area but hit his shot over the bar on 31 minutes.
Four minutes later Dion Conroy received the ball 25-yards out from a corner but his shot was saved well by Covolan. On 37 minutes Conroy had another go after getting the ball from a corner but this time it went way over the bar. The visitors kept coming but their shots continued to fly over as six minutes later Gladwin skied the crossbar from 20-yards.
However, in stoppage time there was a huge turning point in the game when Covolan clashed with McKirdy going for a cross in the area. The referee deemed Covolan’s challenge on the Swindon forward worthy of a red card and the Valiants went down to ten men. A penalty was awarded which was taken after Aiden Stone was subbed on for James Wilson. Gladwin converted the penalty to give the Robins a half time lead.
A quiet start to the second half with the Valiants looking to get level. McKirdy had the first clear chance of the half as the ball dropped kindly for him on the edge of the box but he blasted it over the bar. On 69 minutes Swindon extended their lead in unfortunate circumstances as a ball in from the left was cruelly deflected off the body of Nathan Smith and into his own net.
86 minutes played and Swindon pushed for more but again McKirdy was off target, with his shot from the edge area going well wide.
Port Vale | Covolan, Hall, Smith, Worrall, Garrity, Wilson (45+4), Conlon, Hussey, Pett (68’ Politic), Harratt (72 Edmondson), Cass
Subs not used | Martin, Gibbons, Walker, Amoo
Swindon Town | Ward, Odimayo, Iandolo, Conroy, Gladwin, Simpson (77’ Mitchell-Lawson), McKirdy, O’Brien, Williams (73’ Lyden), Hunt, Reed (77’ East)
Subs not used | Idem, Aguiar, Parsons, Dabre