Ellis Harrison’s 11th goal of the season and Tom Pett’s first of the campaign secured Port Vale a priceless victory against Bristol Rovers to edge us closer to League One safety.
Our top scorer set us well on our way before Pett added a second with 15 minutes to go in the first half to earn the Valiants a deserved three points at Vale Park.
Harrison opened the scoring against his former club in acrobatic style when following a corner, he buried an overhead kick into the top right hand corner.
Vale doubled their lead in the 29th minute, and our number 22 was involved again, this time setting up Tom Pett, who fired past Jed Ward from close range.
Funso Ojo, Harrison, and Pett all returned to the starting 11 after Andy Crosby made three changes from Tuesday night’s defeat to Ipswich Town.
On his return to the side, Ojo nearly got Vale off to a flying start within 10 minutes, but after a well-worked move, his powerful strike was saved by Jed Ward.
Gavin Massey had the chance to double the Valiants’ as we approached the half-hour mark, however, when the ball fell to his feet by the six-yard box, he fired his effort over the bar.
With his first touch of the ball, Gas’ substitute Antony Evans nearly halved the deficit with a free kick eight minutes after the break, but his effort curled inches wide of the righthand post.
Only a brilliant block from a Rovers defender denied Aaron Donnelly from netting a third goal for Vale after he found space in the area to shoot following a Sammy Robinson set piece.
Danny Butterworth then fired a ferocious strike from the edge of the area just wide of the target, as the Valiants looked to kill the game off.
Port Vale | Stone, Donnelly, Smith, Worrall (53’ Robinson), Wilson (46’ Butterworth), Benning, Ojo, Forrester, Massey (84’ Conlon), Harrison (40’ Proctor), Pett (83’ Plant)
Unused Subs | Stevens, Taylor
Bristol Rovers | Ward, Connolly (57’ Quansah), Gordon (57’ Anderson), Finley, Sinclair (57’ Marquis), Ward (51’ Evans), Collins, Gibson, Bogarde, Gibbons (57’ Hoole), Coburn
Unused Sub | Belshaw, McCormick
Attendance | 7,669 (700 away)