Jack Lankester scores from close range to secure a point for Crewe at Port ValeRex Features

Jack Lankester scored his second of the season after Crewe had peppered the Port Vale goal with a series of shots

Ged Scott at Vale Park
BBC Sport England

Crewe Alexandra substitute Jack Lankester stunned Port Vale with an injury-time equaliser in a passionate local derby in front of a season's best crowd of 10,022 in Burslem.

Vale looked set to stretch their lead at the top of League Two to six points after leading from teenager Jack Shorrock's early volley.

But the early second-half red card for Vale midfielder Rekeem Harper changed the whole balance of the game as Crewe then turned the tables to batter their hosts.

They did everything but score then, just when it seemed as if home keeper Connor Ripley would defy the Alex almost single-handed, Lankester kept his cool to level and elevate his side to third.

The result moved Lee Bell's Crewe to a point behind second-placed Walsall and five adrift of leaders Vale in an all-Midlands top three.

Vale got a dream start when they took the lead with little more than two minutes on the clock.

From Tom Sang's throw-in wide on the right, Crewe defender Max Conway miscontrolled, Rico Richards took possession and then checked, curled in a left-foot cross which ballooned to the edge of the penalty area and Shorrock took careful aim before planting a 20-yard left-foot volley just inside the left upright - only his second goal for the club, having bagged his first on Boxing Day last season.

It was enough to earn Vale a pretty much warranted half-time lead - but the game turned four minutes after the break when former West Bromwich Albion midfielder Harper, on his first full appearance for Vale, was sent off.

Having picked up a first-half yellow card from referee Thomas Kirk for a late challenge on Joel Tabiner, he then received another for his late challenge on Omar Bogle - and it dramatically altered the pattern of the game.

Crewe were transformed as shots and passes flew in and around the Vale box with increasing regularity.

Max Sanders' shot deflected wide, then it was his free-kick from just outside the box which took a looping deflection before being kept out by Ripley just under his crossbar and stayed just the right side of the line as the Vale keeper fell to earth.

Ripley then had to be at his best, twisting in mid-air to keep out a Ryan Cooney piledrive by turning it over for a corner before Lankester got to the byline but failed to find his feet. For all their possession, Crewe could not find a decent and decisive final ball.

But, just when it seemed the Vale's luck might hold, in the second of the seven minutes of added time, Lankester came up with the answer, converting Conway's cut-back from close range, as he became the second Jack of the night to do the trick.

Rex Features

Jack Shorrock's only other goal for Port Vale came last Boxing Day - also at Vale Park

Port Vale manager Darren Moore told BBC Radio Stoke: "It's a point gained - the course of the game changes when Rekeem gets sent off.

"As the game wears on you can never say you've done enough as it only takes a second to score a goal. Credit to the players - we'll learn a lot from that.

"I thought we nullified Crewe heroically for most of the second-half and the goal comes really late but I don't want to talk about it being a negative."

Crewe boss Lee Bell told BBC Radio Stoke: "We were really good value for that point. Even at 11 v 11, we were the better team

"But not enough dropped for us and we end up being slightly disappointed that we haven’t won.

"We kept putting balls in the box – and it finally happened for Jack but if we’d had another 10 minutes we’d have won."

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