Anthony Elding earned Stockport County a stay of execution in their battle against relegation from the Football League with both goals against promotion-chasing Port Vale.
Liam Davis’ stoppage time equaliser for Northampton against Rotherham on Good Friday meant defeat for County would have all but sealed relegation to the Blue Square Premier thanks to poor goal difference.
But the visitors weren’t content with slipping out of the league with a whimper and took a deserved lead after 20 minutes.
James Wallace, captain for the day in place of the injured Paul Turnbull, swept the ball out to Matty Mainwaring who crossed for Anthony Elding to head home the second goal of his loan spell.
But Vale, who had shown precious little attacking threat in the first-half, were transformed after the break and grabbed the equaliser after 55 minutes.
Robert Taylor crossed from the left and substitute Sean Rigg thundered a header past the helpless Matt Glennon. It might have been worse for County had Taylor’s header dropped under the bar instead of bouncing off it moments later.
But with the hosts looking the more likely to nick a winner, Wallace clipped a quick free kick into the box for Elding to glance a header past Stuart Tomlinson four minutes from time, and hand County their first away points of 2011.
What is your verdict on the action? Have your say.
Port Vale 1 Stockport County 2
April 23, 2011
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Well played again County (and I do mean that - Mathias you are a star - but it's too late. I notice Middle East Man / Pandora's box predicted we would lose and no doubt other posters here will have a laugh but ........ (a) He / She has consistently said County have no hope (and has been proved right) (b) I happen to agree but am desperate for action to stop this terminal decline because I really do care and (c) are you any better with your pathetic "Oh maybe we will win this weekend and everything will be OK" attitude? In any case, other results mean we still find ourselves no better off. Even beating Northampton is futile, although I am sure with the current manager we will deliver. In many respects, an earlier sealing of our fate (to force supporters to finally face the predicament we are in) would have served us better.
Just read the County web-site review of the game. Apparently a "packed away end" at Port Vale equates to 470 fans. Forgive me for questioning but isn't that (a) a lie and (b) about one third of the number of fans we would typically take to Vale Park?
Nice one lads. Full credit where it's due for walking the walk and not just talking the talk, about not giving up. Nice one on behalf of the Ghost as well. If the tossers at Port Vale had let him do his job then they would have been promoted IMHO, now this is just one more nail in the coffin for any promotion ambitions they had. Serves 'em right for being too daft in the head to know when they had a good thing 8-)
Port Vale's away end holds 4500.....Stockport did not even cover a quarter of it. But they created a good atmosphere and Great passion.
I would as a Vale fan apologise for certain scenes outside the Ground caused by a bad element of support from Vale so-called fans.
I was in the Directors box and i would like to apologise to you new CEO Mr Shaw for the disrespect he recieved from a 'certain' unamed Vale Director, i believe it was his old Stoke City connection, Pathectic. I think you have a gem in Mr Shaw and i think he has a nice few surprises up his sleeve including outside investment, i spoke to him briefly after Saturdays game.
It looks like you will be relegated BUT i hope for your swift return to were you belong in the football League proper as i have relished our games including Wembley over the years. Your fans did you proud at Vale Park.
Fantastic result, but just as we win, so do our rivals. More of the same today and then it's Crewe, lets hope they are feeling benevolent, they havn't really got anything to play for, so i'm hoping they're thinking about their holidays. Don't suppose we'll get any postings from the saddos here, strange that, they only seem to gloat when we lose.