A brace from Joe Allon helped Port Vale fight back from 2-0 down to claim a share of the spoils against struggling Fulham at Vale Park.
The Cottagers are desperate for points as they bid to avoid dropping into the Football League basement for the first time in their history. They made the best possible start here with Sean Farrell finding space down the right flank in the twelve minute to measure a cross that reached Martin Pike, who drilled home at the back post to give Ray Lewington’s side the lead.
Things got even better seven minutes before half-time when a dreadful clearance from goalkeeper Paul Musselwhite allowed Farrell to steer a first-time finish into the unguarded Vale net from the edge of the penalty area. But Fulham have been leaky throughout a desperately disappointing season and their fragile defence gave the home side a route back into a game that should have already been beyond them before half time.
Allon grabbed his first goal of the afternoon a minute before the break when he latched onto a clever flick-on from Martin Foyle from a hopeful punt up field. Fulham goalkeeper Jim Stannard got a hand to Allon’s shot but the ball trickled agonisingly into the far corner despite the best efforts of Robbie Herrera on the goalline. Allon’s second – which arrived midway through the second half – was just as scrappy as the visiting defence failed to clear their lines and Allon gleefully guided home a ball back across goal from Kevin Kent.
PORT VALE: Musselwhite; Stokes, Aspin, Glover, Swan, Porter, Taylor, Lowe (Cross 72), Kent, Foyle (Sandeman 72), Allon.
BOOKED: Allon.
GOALS: Allon (44, 65).
FULHAM: Stannard; Eckhardt, G. Thomas, Herrera, Pike, Jupp, Morgan, Marshall (Bedrossian 17), Ferney, Brazil, Farrell (Angus 68). Subs (not used): Harrison.
BOOKED: Pike.
GOALS: Pike (12), Farrell (38).
ATTENDANCE: 7,380.
