Source: PA
Loft lifts Vale into play-off places
Doug Loft struck a 70th-minute stunner to earn Port Vale a 2-1 win against Lincoln and move them back into the play-off places.
The visitors, trounced 6-0 at home by Rotherham on Friday night, got off to a great start when Gavin McCallum fired them into a third-minute lead. Julian Kelly whipped over a cross from the right and the ball broke for McCallum to crack an unstoppable shot beyond Stuart Tomlinson from 14 yards.
Kelly was causing Vale all sorts of problems with his overlapping runs and it took a terrific save from Tomlinson to stop the full-back from adding a second in the 16th minute.
Danny Hone also squandered a gilt-edged chance for the rampant visitors before shell-shocked Vale retaliated as Marc Richards, twice, and Tom Pope had efforts blocked on the line.
Vale had to improve in the second half and they did as Richards headed against a post before he equalised with his 100th career goal in the 59th minute. A period of sustained pressure led to substitute Kris Taylor's cross from the left and a fine header by Richards, who rose highest to net from eight yards.
Loft's winner was a cracker as he turned the ball onto his left foot 25 yards out and bent a fabulous shot high inside Elliott Parish's left-hand post.
