The Valiants suffer 3-1 defeat at the Nigel Eady County Ground despite taking an early lead.
Oli Lynch gave Vale the lead inside the first two minutes before the hosts turned the game on its head to condemn Vale to defeat
Jon Brady made one change to his side following our goalless draw against Crewe Alexandra at the weekend as Matty Craig replaced Ben Garrity in the Vale midfield.
The Valiants raced out of the blocks and took the lead inside two minutes. Jordan Gabriel won the ball back on the edge of the Swindon area before racing down the right side and firing a cross towards Oli Lynch, who spectacularly headed home at the near post to score his first ever professional goal.
Vale’s lead didn't last long as Swindon levelled ten minutes later. A corner from the right wasn't cleared, and it fell kindly to Aaron Drinan, who had time and space to turn home from close range.
Moments later, Drinan had a golden chance to double his tally when the ball broke kindly for the Swindon forward in the six-yard box, but he got his close-range effort all wrong, and it went well over the crossbar.
In the 20th minute, Vale had Jackson Smith to thank for keeping the scores level. A low cross managed to fall to Tom Nicholls, who was unmarked and six yards out, but his first-time effort was somehow kept out by the Vale keeper, who stuck out a hand and managed to turn it behind for a corner.
Three minutes later, the hosts had yet another great chance to take the lead. Ollie Clarke won the ball back on the edge of the Vale box before driving into the area. As Jackson Smith raced off his line, he squared the ball to Drinan, who struck an effort towards goal, but it was cleared away by Connor Hall, who was there at the right place at the right time to heroically block the effort on the goal-line.
After weathering a Swindon storm, Vale had an opportunity to take the lead on the half-hour mark. Kyle Dempsey’s corner was headed back across goal by Connor Hall, where it was met by Ben Waine, but he found the side netting with his effort.
At half-time, Vale really should have been behind, but some excellent work from the defensive unit meant that the scores were level.
The second half started slowly with both sides trying to get a foothold in the game after the break. The first effort of the half came in the 62nd minute when second-half sub Tyreece Simpson showed good strength to hold the ball up before setting up Kyle Dempsey, who worked space for an effort from range that went well over the crossbar.
The hosts took the lead with twenty minutes to play thanks to a thunderous strike from Ben Middlemas. A corner from the right was cleared as far as the Swindon substitute who struck a first-time left-footed effort into the top corner, leaving Jackson Smith with absolutely no chance in the Vale goal.
After going behind, Vale looked to hit back instantly and had an excellent chance to level in the 76th minute. Jordan Gabriel played a lovely chipped through-ball into the path of Oli Lynch, who turned quickly before striking a low effort towards goal, but Connor Ripley was equal to it and he turned it around the post.
Vale were pushing for a late leveller and threw everyone forward to try and snatch a point, but when Cameron Humphreys was dispossessed on halfway, Vale had no one to cover. After winning the ball off the Vale defender, Louis Millard had all the time in the world to drive forward before chipping the onrushing Smith to double his side's lead and seal all three points for Swindon Town.
TEAM NEWS:
Swindon Town: Connor Ripley, Mitch Clark, Stephan Negru, Tom Nicholls (Ben Middlemas 55’), Ollie Clarke ©, Ryan Tafazolli (Joseph Snowdon 55’), Kealan Majekodumni, Aaron Drinan (James Ball 90+2’), Jack Thomson, Anthony Munda, Ollie Palmer (Louis Millard 73’).
Subs not used: Lewis Ward, James Debayo, Lucas Griffiths-Brown.
Port Vale: Jackson Smith, Jordan Gabriel, Kyle Dempsey, Onel Hernandez (Tyreece Simpson 45’), Oli Lynch, Liam Gordon (Jaheim Headley 81’), Ben Waine (Lewis Monstma 45’), Cam Humphreys, Matty Craig (Ben Garrity 45’), Rhys Walters (George Hall 75’).
Subs not used: Marko Marosi, Kyle John.