Port Vale did what they needed to do in the race for automatic promotion on the final day of the Third Division season – but they were beaten to automatic promotion by Sheffield United on goal difference.
The Valiants will have to prove their prowess in the play-offs and could yet face fourth-placed Fulham again in the final at the end of May as the two sides will take on different opponents in the two-legged semi-finals. John Rudge rested goalkeeper Mark Grew and centre forward Ron Futcher with what they hope will be four more matches ahead, but extended their excellent away run of one defeat in ten with a performance that delighted the nine coachloads of fans’ who made the trip to Craven Cottage.
Understudies Trevor Wood, making only his second appearance in goal, and Ron Jepson performed well but Fulham made the livelier start and took the lead through Michael Cole, who had spent last season on loan at Vale Park. The striker turned in a low cross from left back Glen Thomas to put Ray Lewington’s men in the lead and Fulham could easily have been out of sight with Gordon Davies, Clive Walker and Peter Scott passing up good opportunities to increase their advantage.
Vale’s ventures forward were rare until Gary West rattled the underside of the bar after the interval, but they gradually gained a foothold in midfield as the second half went on and equalised on the hour mark. Ray Walker played in Kevin Finney who turned to fire home his first goal of the season and the visitors visibly grew in confidence having levelled matters.
Futcher, who replaced Jepson for the last fifteen minutes, made an immediate impact off the bench, linking up with Fenney to earn a corner from which Vale grabbed the winner. Jim Stannard came to collect Simon Mills’ delivery but was left grasping at thin air as West glanced a header into the unguarded net. Rudge’s tyros were totally and transformed and could have scored a third before the final whistle but Stannard redeemed himself to deny Futcher before also keeping out a header from Finney.
FULHAM: Stannard; Eckhardt, Thomas, Elkins, Rougvie, Marshall, Scott, Skinner, C. Walker, Cole, Davies (Sayer 78). Subs (not used): Wilson.
BOOKED: Skinner.
GOAL: Cole (33).
PORT VALE: Wood; Mills, Hughes, R. Walker, West, Glover, Jeffers, Earle, Jepson (Futcher 75), Finney, Porter. Subs (not used): Simpson.
BOOKED: Earle, Glover, Hughes.
GOALS: Finney (60), West (77).
REFEREE: Keith Cooper (Pontypridd).
ATTENDANCE: 6,257.
