Vale storm back to edge closer to promotion

A look at Port Vale after the 2-2 draw at home to Grimsby

Jesse Debrah celebrates his stoppage-time equaliser. Pic by Pete Stonier

Hello and welcome to a special Tuesday morning edition of The Valiant for April 22.

Darren Moore highlighted composure and courage as key elements for Vale if they are to get over the line this season.

They may have lacked the first in a dramatic game but they made up for that with the second to claim a point that could be crucial to their hopes of automatic promotion.

Vale are second, three points clear of fourth-placed Walsall with two games to play, after Jesse Debrah’s stoppage-time goal completed a dramatic comeback in this 2-2 draw at home to Grimsby.

That hadn’t looked likely when the Mariners took the lead through Danny Rose on 24 minutes and then went 2-0 up as Rose scored from the spot on 52 minutes after George Byers tripped Evan Khouri in the area.

But Lorent Tolaj got Vale back in it on 78 minutes as he slotted the ball home at the far post – and we were into the sixth minute of injury time when Debrah forced the ball home from close range after Jayden Stockley’s header had been saved by Jake Eastwood.

Eastwood had made a great stop to deny Nathan Smith at the start of the second half but Vale’s persistence paid off in front of more than 11,000.

The result keeps them on course for promotion with just two games to play - at Wimbledon on Saturday and at home to Gillingham on May 3.

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