Port Vale 1-0 Rotherham United: Valiants keep slender survival hopes alive with win

League One basement boys Port Vale gave their very slender survival hopes a boost with a 1-0 victory over relegation rivals Rotherham.

Jon Brady’s Valiants bounced back from their 7-0 FA Cup quarter-final drubbing at Premier League Chelsea at the weekend with a second successive home league win – for the first time in a year.

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Match Action

Ryan Croasdale marked his return from injury in style, firing the hosts in front from the edge of the box in the sixth minute after Ethon Archer’s shot was blocked.

Vale stopper Joe Gauci reacted quickly to keep out Millers top scorer Sam Nombe, who Cameron Humphreys had expertly played in.

On the stroke of half-time, Rotherham keeper Ted Cann slipped while coming out of his box, but George Hall struck wide from a tight angle with the goal at his mercy.

Ryan Croasdale scored for Port Vale (Mike Egerton/PA)

Second half

Lee Clark’s side were the better of the two after the interval. Nombe squandered a brilliant chance when he headed straight at Gauci from close range at the back post.

Cann did well to tip skipper Ben Garrity’s header over before Gauci ensured the points with a late stop from Liam Kelly’s header.

It is now six straight away defeats for the Millers, who are 11 points adrift of safety, with Vale three points behind.

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