Man of the match Gareth Ainsworth settled a pulsating relegation battle to
haul Vale out of the bottom three and push Joe Royle's side into deep trouble.
Ainsworth, a thorn in City's side all afternoon, sent the home fans wild when
he gleefully rolled home Ian Bogie's pass 17 minutes from time.
City had launched a terrific second half fightback which resulted in a richly
deserved equaliser by Gerard Wiekens.
But Vale refused to cave in and the visitors' misery was complete when Uwe
Rosler was stretchered off with a leg injury three minutes from time.
Ainsworth failed to make proper contact with a header from Jan Jansson's cross
as Vale picked holes in City's defence from the outset.
And a Lee Mills lob cleared City's crossbar after the big striker turned his
marker from Matt Carragher's pass.
Vale's dominance was rewarded in the 13th minute when Stewart Talbot returned
Jansson's free kick into the danger area and Martin Foyle's low drive from 12
yards found the net through a sea of legs.
City, spurred on by a massive following, finally made headway when Neil Heaney
nodded inches wide from a Wiekens cross.
But determined Vale soon regained the initiative with Martyn Margetson saving
brilliantly from Ainsworth after Jansson carved the opening with a slide-rule
pass.
City wasted a fine chance to equalise in first half stoppage time when Rosler
fired against a post from close range following a Heaney cross.
Royle's men took charge after the break as Gio Kinkladze's header brought a
decent save from Paul Musselwhite.
And continued City pressure forced an equaliser in the 61st minute.
Kinkladze's left wing corner was headed down by Rosler and Wiekens forced the
ball over the line at the far post.
Vale were clearly lacking height at the back and Rudge brought on newcomer
David Barnett for Wayne Corden with 21 minutes to go.
And Rudge's men claimed a potentially vital goal when Ainsworth struck in the
73rd minute.
Carragher's well-timed through ball enabled Ian Bogie to beat City's off-side
trap and the mid-fielders pass was placed into an empty net by Ainsworth.
Teams:
Port Vale: Musselwhite, Hill, Talbot, Bogie, Glover, Carragher,
Ainsworth, Porter, Mills (Corden 45), Foyle, Jansson,
Corden (Barnett 69).
Subs Not Used: Stokes.
Booked: Talbot, Glover, Carragher.
Goals: Foyle 13, Ainsworth 73.
Man City: Margetson, Jeff Whitley, Edghill, Wiekens, Symons,
Jobson, Jim Whitley (Dickov 39), Brannan (Brown 57),
Heaney (Russell 73), Kinkladze, Rosler.
Booked: Brannan, Rosler, Brown.
Goals: Wiekens 61.
Att: 13,122
Ref: R D Furnandiz (Doncaster).
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