Port Vale manager Darren Moore says returning club captain Ben Garrity’s late goal was the “icing on the cake” as his side got back to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over MK Dons.
Garrity, who was sidelined for a month out with injury, came off the bench late on to seal a well-deserved victory for Vale, dinking the ball over Dons goalkeeper Connal Trueman after being played clean through by Ronan Curtis.
Lorent Tolaj and Jayden Stockley also got their names on the scoresheet to help ensure the Valiants bounced back from a midweek defeat against Colchester – their first in 12 league outings.
The win keeps them in sixth place in the Sky Bet League Two table, two points outside the automatic promotion spots, and Moore was delighted with how his team closed the game out.
“When he’s marauding on to any balls like that, he’s really powerful Ben,” he said.
“The big thing for him is that he had a lot of time to think about it. He had the whole stadium willing him on.
“So for him to come up with that real cool, composed finish was really pleasing for him.
“And it’s the icing on the cake for all of us really to see our captain back and to see him be on the pitch for 10-15 minutes maximum.
“But to come up with a goal as well, it goes to show the importance [of him to us].
“So all round today, it’s been a real good day for everybody connected to Port Vale.
“It was an important three points for us and it just settles us back down.
“We now get a full week to work, which is great, before we start another little busy period.”
The Dons ended a run of seven matches without a win by beating Morecambe last Saturday, but they’ve now lost seven of their last nine games and remain in 18th position.
“It’s probably the quietest I’ve heard a dressing room after a game in all honesty,” interim head coach Ben Gladwin said.
“After what was achieved last week and the feeling that was created throughout the week, I think everybody will be really, really hurt by it.
“But football doesn’t wait for anybody so we have to pick ourselves up, learn from it, review it and move on.
“If the game doesn’t go the way they need it to or the way that feels right early on, they can kind of go into self-preservation mode a little bit and just try to protect themselves, which is understandable with the run that they’ve been on.
“They come out in front of a lot of people and they don’t want to make mistakes.
“But we can’t afford to be that way. You’re never going to threaten the other team’s goal that way and we have to match the other team’s intensity and ability to run.
“It was a really poor performance. There’s no getting away from it.”
Ange Postecoglou insisted his controversial cupped ear celebration to Tottenham fans in a 1-0 loss at Chelsea had been misinterpreted on another bad night for the Australian.Spurs slipped to a 16th defeat in the Premier League this season thanks to a 50th-minute header by Enzo Fernandez, but it only told half the story of a typically frenzied London derby.VAR was required to rule out a fine strike...
Chelsea climbed back into the Premier League’s top four as Enzo Fernandez’s header early in the second half earned a 1-0 derby win over Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.Enzo Maresca’s side were under pressure after limping into the international break playing football that had ceased to excite home fans, but they largely had the better of a disappointing Spurs team that failed to tak...
David Moyes believes James Tarkowski was lucky to avoid a red card for his reckless challenge on Alexis Mac Allister as Everton were beaten 1-0 by Liverpool on a controversial night at Anfield.Diogo Jota’s 57th-minute goal, which Moyes claimed should have been ruled out for offside, gave Liverpool a 100th derby win and moved them a step closer to the Premier League title, but both sides were...
Jack Grealish dedicated his goal to his late brother after scoring in Manchester City’s 2-0 win over relegation-threatened Leicester on Wednesday.The England international hit his first Premier League goal for 16 months, on his first start in the competition since last December, as City moved back into fourth with a comfortable success at the Etihad Stadium.It came on the 25th anniversary of...
David Moyes bemoaned an “offside” goal that gave Liverpool a 1-0 win over Everton – but admitted James Tarkowski was lucky to avoid an early red card on a controversial night at Anfield.Diogo Jota’s 57th-minute goal gave Liverpool a 100th derby win and moved them a step closer to the Premier League title, but both sides were left unhappy with decisions from referee Sam Barr...
Eddie Howe hailed Sandro Tonali’s shooting power after seeing him cap a fine display with a stunning winner to edge Newcastle into the race for Champions League qualification.The 24-year-old Italy international brought an incident-packed encounter to a fitting conclusion with a 74th-minute piledriver which beat goalkeeper Mark Flekken from an improbable angle to hand the Magpies a precious 2...
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery believes Marcus Rashford is “progressively getting better” in all aspects of his game following his first Premier League goal for the club.The on-loan Manchester United forward set Villa on course for a comprehensive 3-0 win over fellow European hopefuls Brighton with a 51st-minute finish at the Amex Stadium.Rashford’s milestone strike came three days ...
Southampton boss Ivan Juric vowed to keep fighting as relegation moved sharply into focus after Crystal Palace denied them only a third Premier League win of the season.Substitute Matheus Franca’s stoppage-time header, to secure a 1-1 draw for the Eagles, means Saints will be down at the weekend if they lose at Tottenham and Wolves beat Ipswich.If relegation is confirmed on Sunday, Southampt...
Derby boss John Eustace insists his side are reaping the rewards for the hard work they have put in since he was appointed as manager after the Rams earned a 2-0 win over Preston to climb out of the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone.Derby came out firing after a lacklustre opening period and Craig Forsyth coolly slotted the hosts in front with his fourth goal of the season.The Rams doubled thei...
Notts County manager Stuart Maynard hailed a “massive” three points as his side comfortably saw off MK Dons at Meadow Lane to maintain their promotion challenge.Two stunning strikes from David McGoldrick and Will Jarvis from the edge of the box, either side of Nick Tsaroulla’s close-range effort, earned County a convincing 3-0 win.“I think every three points is massive now,...
- 1 Hot WAG flaunts 'astonishing' washboard abs in bikini
- 2 Danny Rohl hails Sheffield Wednesday resilience in draw at Cardiff
- 3 Alfie May double sends Birmingham step closer to Championship
- 4 Marcus Rashford scores first Premier League goal for Villa in win at Brighton
- 5 Ryan Lowe and Conor Hourihane felt team deserved more as Wigan and Barnsley draw
- 6 Mat Sadler hails Taylor Allen set-piece skills after Walsall snatch draw
- 7 Chris Davies says Alfie May’s goal drought never concerned him
- 8 Football fan 'eats' raw pig's head in ultimate insult
- 9 Marcus Rashford still looking to improve after firing Villa into FA Cup semis
- 10 Chelsea prepare €70m for Barcelona defender