Port Vale strike back for late point at Morecambe

Posted Sunday, December 09, 2018 by PA

Port Vale scored two late goal to seal a dramatic point from a 2-2 draw against Morecambe at the Globe Arena.

Neil Aspin’s side were trailing 2-0 with six minutes to go but a controversial goal from Antony Kay and a header from Tom Pope brought them back into the game.

There was still time for Morecambe to win it with a penalty after 87 minutes but Scott Brown saved A-Jay Leitch-Smith’s weak spot-kick.

The home side took the lead after 27 minutes with Leitch-Smith scoring against his former club.

The credit goes to midfielder Jordan Cranston who went on a superb run from his own half – after a Port Vale corner was cleared – and fed the ball through to Leith-Smith who slotted the ball past the onrushing Scott Brown.

Leitch-Smith went loose to a second with a shot from the edge of the area that curled just wide before Brown pulled off a fine save to turn away a Cranston free-kick that was heading for the top left-hand corner of his goal.

The Shrimps added a second five minutes before the break when Alex Kenyon clipped a cross into the box and striker Jason Oswell threw himself at the ball to head past Brown from close range for his first Football League goal.

The Shrimps looked set for the three points until the Valiants staged a late comeback.

Kay pulled one back after 84 minutes when he beat the offside trap from a free-kick to slot home from six yards out.

That sparked life into Vale and they levelled three minutes later through the prolific Pope when he headed a left-wing cross from Scott Quigley into the bottom right-hand corner from six yards out.

The drama continued with the Shrimps awarded a penalty a minute later when Rhys Oates was brought down by Brown but Leitch-Smith saw his effort easily saved.