Port Vale: Interim boss Andy Crosby says League Two promotion chasers must deal with 'high stakes' football

Port Vale's defeat by Bristol Rovers on 18 April ended a three-month, nine-game unbeaten run at home

Port Vale's players must learn to deal with "high stakes" football if they are to negotiate their final promotion hurdle, says interim boss Andy Crosby.

Vale have spent long spells in League Two's three automatic promotion spots this season but back-to-back defeats have pushed them down to fourth place.

With two games to go, they are now relying on results elsewhere.

"We've overcome many hurdles this season and this is another," Crosby, 49, told BBC Radio Stoke.

"It's a different situation now when you come towards the end of the season because the stakes get higher.

"Successful individuals and successful teams, they handle the situation."

From 22 January to mid-April, Vale lost just once in the league, winning 11 and drawing seven, despite the absence of manager Darrell Clarke, on bereavement leave, for much of that run.

Clarke is making a phased return to his job but Crosby will remain in charge at Vale Park until the end of the season.

"The level of performance we've had, the run of form we've been on, the points we've collected - we've proved we are a really good team," Crosby added.

"We've lost a couple of games on the spin but this team have given everything all season.

"This is a special group of players that care about this club and have gone through a lot collectively. It's now my job to raise everyone's spirits, refocus our minds and attack the next two games."

'No point thinking too far ahead' - Pett

Leaders Forest Green are already up but several clubs are battling it out for the remaining two promotion spots

Not only have Vale fallen behind Northampton in the race for third place - with Exeter, three points behind leaders Forest Green, in pole position to claim at least second spot - they must also look over their shoulders.

Mansfield and Sutton United both have a game in hand on the Valiants, who must now likely win both of their remaining matches - at home to Newport on 2 May and away at Exeter on the final day - to go up automatically.

"Some teams will now play two games before we play again and the league table will look totally different but all we can do is think about ourselves," added Crosby.

"We have to do more than we've done in the last couple of games if we want to take two wins."

Vale have spent four seasons in the fourth tier since relegation from League One in 2016-17 and this is their first real tilt at promotion following finishes of 20th - twice - eighth and 13th.

Their cause has not been aided by a series of injuries, most notably captain Tom Conlon's season-ending Achilles surgery in March.

"When you start thinking about whether it's in your own hands, whether it's not in your own hands, you start thinking too far ahead," said midfielder Tom Pett.

"We know how often the league table changes. All we can do is our job and let the other results take care of themselves."