Port Vale 4-1 Salisbury: Match Report

06 December 2013 22:01
Port Vale 4-1 Salisbury: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game as it happened.


Quick-fire double sees Vale through

Tom Pope and Rob Taylor combined to score two goals in three minutes to see off Salisbury's brave challenge and push Port Vale towards a flattering 4-1 victory in the FA Cup.


The Skrill Premier side threatened to cause an upset until Pope rose to bury a downward header from 10 yards after Taylor crossed from the left in the 78th minute.


And Pope soon returned the compliment with a clever pass which gave substitute Taylor the space to place a 14-yard right-foot shot just inside Will Puddy's left-hand post.


Salisbury held their own for much of the first-half, though, and were unfortunate to trail at the break when Chris Robertson fired in a low left-foot drive from 10 yards after Pope's effort was deflected into his path.


And the visitors deserved their 64th-minute equaliser when Vale failed to clear Elliott Frear's free-kick from the left flank and Dan Fitchett forced the ball in from point-blank range after his initial effort was saved by Vale keeper Sam Johnson.


The hosts' substitute Ben Williamson turned smartly to fire in his side's fourth goal a minute from time as his 16-yard shot flashed low inside Puddy's left-hand post to seal the win.


Source: PA