Vale completed a ‘dream’ week of results as they moved into the Play-off positions with an emphatic 3-0 victory over promotion chasing Colchester United. Goals from Tom Conlon and a brace from Mark Cullen were enough to see Vale move to sixth and send the fans home with dreams of just what might become this May.
In what was a cagey start from both sides it was Vale that had the first real look at goal after five minutes, Conlon breaking up play in the midfield freeing David Worrall down the right-hand flank. The Winger twisted and turned before crossing towards Cullen at the back post, but Tom Eastwell had read it well at Centre-Back and Keeper Dean Gerken tidied up the leftovers.
Vale had another good sight of goal four minutes later, Worrall having a snapshot charged down, the ball breaking to Montano in the inside left channel. The left back drove into the box, beating two defenders before unleashing a fierce drive goalward. Keeper Gerken reacted well though, diving to his right parrying the ball and only conceding the corner.
Vale though did take the lead on fourteen minutes after some calamitous defending at the back. Keeper Gerken side footed a pass out to Ryan Jackson, selling the right back extremely short. As Jackson looked to clear, Rhys Browne charged down the clearance, the ball breaking free to Conlon, on the left side of the box. The Midfielder advanced on goal, firing the ball goalwards from twelve yards out, and leaving Gerken flat footed as the ball nestled in the net and gave Vale a well deserved 1-0 lead.
Vale could have increased their lead on twenty-three minutes. Great interplay down the left hand side between Browne and Conlon as the latter laid off the ball to Montano, who shot first time from the edge of the box, but it was just a little too high and flashed over the right hand post and out for a goal kick.
Having soaked up a little Colchester pressure at the end of the first half, Vale started much the brighter and doubled their lead on fifty-five minutes. Vale broke from their own half through Worrall, the winger making a few yards down the inside right channel before drifting a high pass over the defence to find Cullen. The striker was the epitome of calm as he took a few strides into the United box, chipping over the advancing keeper and sending the Bycars into raptures.
On seventy-three, it was Cullen again who put the game beyond doubt. A flash of personal brilliance as Cullen picked up a quick throw from the right, running across the Colchester box and curved a sublime left footed effort into the bottom left hand corner, kissing the post on its way in, to give the Valiants all three points and a place in the League Two play-offs.
Vale now travel to Walsall on Saturday, top of the form table, with four wins and a draw out of the last six fixtures. Walsall themselves have picked up seven from the last available nine points, so it gets no easier but few would bet against Vale establishing themselves in the play-off picture with another positive result on the road.
