29/11/2007 - Late Spence strike sees Vale bow out
A Strong looking Port Vale side were humbled by non-league outfit Eccleshall, who progressed to the semi-finals of the Staffs Senior Cup with a dramatic last-minute winner.
Vale twice went ahead in the first half thanks to strikes from Simon Richman and Marc Richards, pictured.
But Eccleshall refused to lie down and Dwayne Spence's well taken goal in the 90th minute secured a memorable victory for a team languishing in the bottom three of the Vodkat North West Counties League Division Two.
Richards was joined in the starting line-up by fellow senior players David McGoldrick, Colin Miles, Mark Goodlad and Justin Miller. And in truth Vale dominated their hosts for much of the first half, having taken the lead in the fourth minute.
Adam Copeland's long throw on the left found Danny Glover in the penalty area. Off balance, the young striker failed to connect properly with his shot, but the ball rolled to Richman, who calmly swept home from 10-yards into the bottom left-hand corner.
Richards was proving a constant threat, but was guilty of missing a number of chances before Eccleshall equalised in the 37th minute.
Spence chased what looked like a lost cause down the right, but running at full throttle he managed to hook the ball into Vale's penalty area.
The onrushing Robert Adlington beat Miles to the ball and went over the Vale defender's sliding tackle to earn a disputed penalty.
Adlington picked himself up and sent Goodlad the wrong way with his spot-kick, caressing the ball into the bottom right-hand corner.
Richards restored Vale's lead a minute before half-time with an eight-yard finish after Glover's good work down the left.
But Eccleshall's confidence grew in the second period and they scored a fortunate equaliser in the 75th minute when Vale conceded a free-kick 40-yards from goal.
Steve Brunt's set-piece was intended for the far post, but Goodlad could only stand and watch as the ball sailed over his head and into the far left-hand corner.
And in the dying seconds Vale's defence were guilty of ball watching as Spence ghosted into the box to convert Spencer Gunnell's free-kick from 12-yards, sending the Pershall Park crowd delirious.
Vale coach Andy Porter said: "We showed a good attitude, but when you are on top of a game like that you have to be knocking the chances in and we didn't.
"It was 2-1 to us at half-time which gave them a bit of lifeline. They got a fluke second goal, but that is how it goes and their third was down to poor defending."
Eccleshall: Picking, Brunt, Thorley (Johnson, 57), Kerrigan, Mapperson, Gunnell, Mills (Brown, 71), De Matteo, Spence, Adlington, Stevens. Subs not used: Challinor, Heard, Weston.
Port Vale: Goodlad, Miller (Crompton, 64), Copeland, Edwards, Prosser, Miles, Richman, McGoldrick, Richards (Lawrie, 73), Glover, Chapman. Subs not used: Dixon, Martin, Pike.
- STEVE SHAW