Port Vale sub Ronan Curtis celebrates scoring the only goal five minutes from timeRex Features

Port Vale sub Ronan Curtis got the only goal five minutes from time

Ged Scott at Vale Park
BBC Sport England

Notts County wasted their chance to move within four points of League Two leaders Walsall as they fell to a late winner at Port Vale.

Substitute Ronan Curtis came off the bench to score the only goal of the game in the 85th minute to lift Vale back up to fifth - just a point behind second-placed Notts - and complete their first double over them in 21 years.

The visitors had the better of the first half in frozen Burslem, but Vale got better and better as the game wore on.

And Darren Moore's men, unbeaten in the league in seven games now since the turn of the year, just about deserved their win in the end, despite a late Notts effort against the crossbar.

Vale complete double over Notts

On the back of their six-game unbeaten league run since the turn of the year, Vale were seeking a first Football League double over Notts since the 2003-04 season, having won 1-0 at Meadow Lane in early October.

But Notts had not lost at Vale Park since Boxing Day 2013 and they had won each of their past four away games in League Two.

Vale keeper Ben Amos was tested a couple of times before the break and visiting skipper Matt Palmer shot wide.

But it increasingly looked like Vale would sneak it - and Curtis did the job with his sixth goal of the season.

He turned in from close range following Lorent Tolaj's cross - a return of favour as it was the same two players, Curtis crossing for Tolaj, who earned that win at Meadow Lane four months ago.

Even then, fellow sub Mai Traore might have levelled for Notts but he volleyed against the bar and that was that as the visitors lost for the first time since New Year's Day.

First-half chance for Notts County at Vale Park Dan Westwell

Notts County went closest to scoring in the first half at Vale Park

Port Vale manager Darren Moore told BBC Radio Stoke:

"We started a little bit slowly. The problem was that we knew that Notts County like to build from the back, but we didn't engage them high enough up the pitch. We were sitting a couple of bodies too deep, which allowed them to build and dictate the game. We weren't releasing ourselves.

"The best thing about half-time was that it was half-time, that was number one, and number two it was 0-0.

"When you play against Notts County, as much as they want the ball, they do allow you to have the ball and do allow you to get passes.

"After about 28 minutes we managed to string a couple of passes together, which we were able to identify and show them at half-time. And, in the second half, we get the all-important chance and Ronan Curtis comes on and takes it."

Notts County boss Stuart Maynard:

"It is frustrating. The lads have given absolutely everything. We've had three massive moments. We need to take one of them.

"In the first half, when you're that dominant, playing a lot in their half and creating the two big opportunities that we did, we need to take at least one of them and go in at half-time 1-0 up.

"We knew in the second half they would have a spell and they had a few spells in the second half. They couldn't not.

"They kept playing off the front – setting, spinning and then getting it down the sides and putting balls into our box."

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