Vale bounce back with Rovers win

An in-depth look at Port Vale on and off the pitch after the 2-1 win at Doncaster Rovers

Ryan Croasdale celebrates opening the scoring for Vale at Doncaster. Pic by Tom Green

Hello and welcome to our Sunday edition of The Valiant for January 5.

Vale are back in the automatic promotion places after a gutsy performance and goals from Ryan Croasdale and Lorent Tolaj gave them a 2-1 win at high-flying Doncaster.

Rovers had gone into the weekend second in the table and looked a threat when Ben Amos had to make an excellent save to touch Billy Sharp’s 15th-minute strike on to the post.

But it was Vale who took a 33rd-minute lead when Antwoine Hackford span away from his marker before finding Ryan Croasdale to slot the ball past the keeper from just inside the area.

Ben Garrity, Mitch Clark and Croasdale combined to find Lorent Tolaj to score at the near post on 61 minutes - and Connor Hall forced a fine save from Teddy Sharman-Lowe eight minutes later.

Rovers were given hope when Jamie Sterry smashed a deflected long-range effort into the top corner on 84 minutes but Darren Moore’s side held on for their first league win in nine to move up to third.

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