Match ends, Crawley Town 1, Port Vale 3.
Crawley Town 1-3 Port Vale
- From the section Football
Michael Brown started his first full season as Port Vale manager with a comfortable victory at Crawley to give opposite number Harry Kewell a disappointing Football League managerial debut.
Vale made the perfect start when veteran midfielder Michael Tonge fired them ahead after only nine minutes with a deflected free kick from 25 yards.
Tonge, who signed a one-year deal after a successful pre-season, turned provider on 26 minutes by curling in a free kick for skipper Antony Kay to head in at the near post.
Crawley's Dutch striker Enzio Boldewijn threatened shortly after by bursting into the area, but his goal-bound shot was blocked by keeper Robert Lainton.
Vale could have been further ahead by the interval but winger Cristian Montano headed a Marcus Harness cross over.
The hosts reduced the deficit eight minutes after the break through Boldewijn, who latched onto a pass from Mark Randall to run through and score with a fine solo effort.
Boldewijn was inches away from levelling on 67 minutes when he put a Dannie Bulman pass just wide.
Crawley were much improved in the second half and substitute Dean Cox had a low shot saved after Boldewijn had earlier put the ball wide.
But Vale substitute Daniel Turner made the game safe eight minutes from time by heading his first goal for the club from a cross by Harness.
Match report supplied by the Press Association.
Line-ups
Crawley
- 1Morris
- 22Lelan
- 6Connolly
- 15YorwerthSubstituted forPayneat 56'minutes
- 2Young
- 21Bulman
- 25RandallBooked at 69mins
- 19Evina
- 7BoldewijnSubstituted forLewisat 75'minutes
- 23Verheydt
- 11RobertsBooked at 25minsSubstituted forCoxat 64'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Payne
- 9Harrold
- 10Cox
- 12Mersin
- 14Blackman
- 17Djaló
- 24Lewis
Port Vale
- 1Lainton
- 2Wilson
- 6Kay
- 24Smith
- 33GunningBooked at 89mins
- 11MontañoSubstituted forTurnerat 45'minutesBooked at 84mins
- 8Pugh
- 32TongeSubstituted forReevesat 65'minutesBooked at 86mins
- 7Myers-HarnessSubstituted forWhitfieldat 84'minutes
- 28de Freitas
- 9Pope
Substitutes
- 5Davis
- 12Hornby
- 15Forrester
- 18Reeves
- 19Turner
- 22Pyke
- 31Whitfield
- Referee:
- Charles Breakspear
- Attendance:
- 2,270
Match Stats
Home TeamCrawleyAway TeamPort Vale
- Possession
- Home62%
- Away38%
- Shots
- Home16
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away3
- Corners
- Home7
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away15
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Crawley Town 1, Port Vale 3.
Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Glenn Morris.
Corner, Port Vale. Conceded by Josh Payne.
Foul by Dean Cox (Crawley Town).
Tom Pope (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt blocked. Ben Whitfield (Port Vale) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Booking
Gavin Gunning (Port Vale) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Lewis Young (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Gavin Gunning (Port Vale).
Corner, Crawley Town. Conceded by Danny Pugh.
Booking
Billy Reeves (Port Vale) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Dean Cox (Crawley Town) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Billy Reeves (Port Vale).
Attempt saved. Dean Cox (Crawley Town) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Booking
Dan Turner (Port Vale) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.
Substitution
Substitution, Port Vale. Ben Whitfield replaces Marcus Myers-Harness.
Goal!
Goal! Crawley Town 1, Port Vale 3. Dan Turner (Port Vale) header from very close range to the top left corner. Assisted by Marcus Myers-Harness.
Foul by Cedric Evina (Crawley Town).
Marcus Myers-Harness (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt saved. Thomas Verheydt (Crawley Town) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Attempt saved. Dean Cox (Crawley Town) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Substitution
Substitution, Crawley Town. Dennon Lewis replaces Enzio Boldewijn.
Attempt missed. Mark Randall (Crawley Town) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Booking
Mark Randall (Crawley Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Mark Randall (Crawley Town).
Marcus Myers-Harness (Port Vale) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Enzio Boldewijn (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Nathan Smith (Port Vale).
Attempt missed. Enzio Boldewijn (Crawley Town) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Corner, Crawley Town. Conceded by Gavin Gunning.
Substitution
Substitution, Port Vale. Billy Reeves replaces Michael Tonge.
Substitution
Substitution, Crawley Town. Dean Cox replaces Jordan Roberts.
Attempt missed. Lewis Young (Crawley Town) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is just a bit too high.
Foul by Jordan Roberts (Crawley Town).
Lawrie Wilson (Port Vale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner, Crawley Town. Conceded by Antony Kay.
Attempt blocked. Enzio Boldewijn (Crawley Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Substitution
Substitution, Crawley Town. Josh Payne replaces Josh Yorwerth.
Attempt missed. Jordan Roberts (Crawley Town) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left.
