Match report: Chesterfield 0, Port Vale 5

Steve Shaw

CHESTERFIELD 0

PORT VALE 5

HAT-TRICK HERO Marc Richards rocket-fuelled Port Vale's play-off bid as they destroyed promotion-chasing Chesterfield 5-0 this afternoon.

While Vale secured their best win of the season, it was the first time the club had tasted victory at Saltergate since 1989.

Vale stormed into a 2-0 lead thanks to clinical first-half strikes from striker Richards and winger Rob Taylor.

After the break Richards completed his hat-trick before Craig Davies completed the scoring from the penalty spot after Chesterfield defender Alan Goodall had been given his marching orders.

By hitting a treble Richards took his personal tally for the season to 19 goals.

Their second win in a week also propels the Valiants to the fringes of League Two's play-off zone.

Right-back Adam Yates, who went off in Tuesday's 2-1 home win over Bradford City, sufficiently recovered to take his place on the bench.

The 27-year-old's omission paved the way for Kris Taylor to earn a recall at left-back, while versatile defender Lee Collins took up defensive duties on the opposite flank.

Vale keeper Joe Anyon returned to the scene where he suffered a broken leg nearly 12 months ago, during Vale's 2-1 defeat at Saltergate, on March 28, last season.

The 23-year-old stopper fractured a tibia in an accidental clash of legs with Spireites striker Drew Talbot who started for the hosts.

Chesterfield's line-up included 35-year-old defender Rob Page who turned down the chance to become Micky Adams's number two last summer.

Vale boss Adams watched his side make a bright start.

They were embarking on their final day out at Saltergate with Chesterfield preparing to move into their new 10,500-seater stadium before the start of next season.

Rob Taylor cut inside from the left in the opening seconds only to watch his angled effort cannon off a defender.

On four minutes Vale loan striker Davies almost netted a contender for goal of the season following good work from Richards down the right.

The striker's low driven cross was met by Davies whose clever flick at the far post whistled past the near post.

Davies drifted out to the right himself two minutes later before Chesterfield failed to clear his right-flank cross.

Rob Taylor pounced on the loose ball but his close-range angled effort was kept out by keeper Tommy Lee's brave intervention.

Vale dominated the opening stages while it took the hosts until the 14th minute to muster their first shot with Simon Whaley's 10-yard strike deflecting wide.

A minute later, Page connected with a right-flank corner to head wide from eight yards.

Vale took a deserved lead in the 19th minute when Taylor intercepted a poor Ian Breckin pass.

After driving forward to the edge of the box the winger lashed the ball inside the left-hand post from 17 yards.

Vale continued to bully their hosts and could have doubled their lead on 27 minutes after Anthony Griffith sped down the right.

The central midfielder's pinpoint near-post delivery was met by Lewis Haldane who could only guide his header wide from close range.

Chesterfield's frustrated home faithful were being silenced by Vale's dominance.

Adam Rundle raised their spirits for a split-second in the 28th minute when his angled drive, from the left-hand channel, was easily collected by Anyon at his near post.

At the other end a 30th-minute corner eventually dropped to Richards but the striker's 10-yard volley was beaten away by Lee.

Chesterfield midfielder Mark Allott and Talbot missed the target from long range as half time approached.

On 40 minutes, Davies connected with a Kris Taylor cross, but cleared the bar with an eight-yard header.

For all Vale's dominance Chesterfield should have levelled matters a minute later when Talbot flashed the ball across the box towards the far left-hand post.

Rundle rushed onto the ball but somehow managed to slice his shot the wrong side of the near post from seven yards.

A minute after that Vale went further ahead when skipper Tommy Fraser launched a free-kick which was flicked on into the feet of Richards.

From the edge of the six-yard box the 27-year-old displayed magnificent positional awareness to redirect the ball into the far right-hand corner.

Chesterfield came out for the second half determined to reduce the deficit as Whaley fired wide two minutes after the re-start.

But Vale's travelling fans were on cloud nine, on 50 minutes, when Richards scored with a scorching effort after latching onto a measured long ball.

After collecting on the left-hand side Richards cut inside before unleashing an unstoppable 18-yarder that crashed into the net via the underside of the bar.

Five minutes later defender Gareth Owen did well to deflect Wade Small's eight-yard header wide.

Fraser volleyed over just after the hour mark before Goodall failed to test Anyon's goal with a misdirected

25-yard free-kick.

But Vale's third goal had sapped the life out of Chesterfield and the game as the visitors comfortably dealt with everything that was thrown their way.

On 78 minutes Goodall's hopeless 25-yard strike ballooned over before Richards completed his hat-trick.

Richards met Collins's excellent in-swinging cross to head home from eight yards.

Davies put the cherry on the cake with five minutes of normal time remaining when he sprung the offside trap.

Racing through on goal he was hauled down in Chesterfield's area by Goodall who received a straight red card for his offence.

Davies dusted himself down to lash the resulting penalty into the bottom left-hand corner and seal a magnificent victory.

Match stats

Teams:

Port Vale: Anyon, Collins, Owen, McCombe, K Taylor, Haldane (Loft, 85), Griffith, Fraser, R Taylor (Rigg, 85) Richards (Dodds 83), Davies.

Not used: Martin, Yates, Morsy, Richman.

Chesterfield: Lee, Whing, Page, Breckin, Goodall, Whaley, Allott, Niven (Boshall, 46), Rundle (Boshall, 58), Small (Madine, 65), Talbot.

Not used: Crossley, Austin, Gray, Conlon.

Referee: Paul Tierney (Lancashire)

Attendance: 4,138 (including 670 visitors)