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.”
Notts County all-but guaranteed their place in the League Two play-offs courtesy of a 3-1 victory at Harrogate.The Magpies ended their four-match winless run thanks to Conor Grant’s second-half brace, leaving them fifth in the table and six points clear of eighth-placed Colchester.County took the lead in the 33rd minute when George Abbott fired home after David McGoldrick’s initial eff...

Luton climbed out of the Championship bottom three for the first time since January thanks to Shandon Baptiste’s 90th-minute goal as they beat play-off chasing Coventry 1-0.The Hatters looked like they would go to West Brom next weekend with their destiny definitely out of their own hands, only for Baptiste, who had been on the field for just 11 minutes, to find the net and lift the roof off...

Leyton Orient remain on course for the Sky Bet League One play-offs after a 1-0 win which dented Wycombe’s hopes of automatic promotion.Randell Williams scored the only goal of the game and Orient’s victory, their fifth in succession, leaves them ahead of seventh-placed Reading on goal difference.Defeat for the Chairboys, though, has handed the initiative to Wrexham, who could seal the...

Doncaster clinched promotion to League One after goals from Rob Street and Billy Sharp secured a 2-1 win over 10-man Yorkshire rivals Bradford.In an incident-packed encounter in front of over 12,500 fans – the Eco-Power Stadium’s biggest crowd of the season – Doncaster hit the post through Jordan Gibson before on-loan Lincoln striker Street gave Rovers a 33rd-minute lead with his...

Reading’s hunt for a Sky Bet League One play-off spot will go to the final day of the season after the Royals beat Bristol Rovers 2-0 at the Memorial Stadium.Lewis Wing’s eighth league goal of the season after 67 minutes and Chem Campbell’s added-time effort leaves the Pirates staring at relegation after Noel Hunt’s side had to survive a first-half onslaught from the hosts....

Jamie Andrews struck a late equaliser as Woking twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Eastleigh in the National League.Tyrese Shade put the visitors in front after 14 minutes, played in on goal by Ben Close before finding the bottom corner of the net.Woking then drew level three minutes before the break when Aiden O’Brien headed in from Jacob Jones’ free-kick.Shade had Eastleigh back...

Port Vale secured automatic promotion to League One after beating AFC Wimbledon 2-0 at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.Second-half goals by Jayden Stockley and Jaheim Hedley ensured Vale would finish in the top three and also made a dent in the home side’s push for the play-offs.Vale created the first real attempt of the game which saw Lorent Tolaj fire over from 12 yards out following a cros...

Zian Flemming and Jeremy Sarmiento both scored twice as Burnley emphatically maintained their Championship title hopes by hammering QPR 5-0 in their penultimate match of the season.Josh Cullen also netted in a one-sided game as the Clarets, already promoted along with Leeds, won with ease to move to the top of the table, three points ahead of the Yorkshire side.However, Leeds, who are at home to B...

Nicolas Jackson ended his long goal drought to fire Chelsea a step nearer to the Champions League with a 1-0 win against Everton at Stamford Bridge.A dominant display was capped by the winning goal scored midway through the first half, the striker’s first since December 15 finished confidently from 20 yards past Jordan Pickford as though he had been scoring every week, as suspended head coac...

Celtic clinched the William Hill Premiership title in style with a 5-0 victory over Dundee United at Tannadice.Nicolas Kuhn and substitute Adam Idah both hit doubles after Ryan Strain’s 30th-minute own-goal kicked off the rout.Celtic had only needed a point but they wrapped up their fourth consecutive championship in similar fashion to last year, when a 5-0 win at Kilmarnock earned Brendan R...



- 1 Transfer news & rumours LIVE
- 2 Cole Palmer’s girlfriend Connie Grace dazzles in low-cut top and mini skirt
- 3 Man Utd & Man City join PSG in race for Akliouche
- 4 We always have a chance – Miron Muslic bullish as Plymouth boost survival hopes
- 5 Tottenham to compete with Man City for defender
- 6 Ten-man Falkirk beaten by Raith as late goals keep title race alive
- 7 Big Brother legend Chanelle Hayes flaunts weight loss in red bikini
- 8 Transfer news & rumours LIVE
- 9 Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola fumes over point claimed at 10-man Crystal Palace
- 10 Daily Laugh - Totttenham 1-2 N Forest