Vale recover with late rally

Vale Rec 2, Bels 2

VALE REC maintained their five-point mid-table lead on Belgraves after a fine comeback in the last quarter of the match at the Corbet Field last night. Bels looked set to close to within three points of their rivals for fourth place when Marc McGrath added to Darren Duffy's fine early goal with a superb strike of his own after an hour.

But two goals in three minutes by Matt Patch and Marc Rihoy rescued a point for the home side who, until then, had been second best to Bels in all areas of the field.

Bels had already gone close a couple of times when Duffy, their new Irish signing, put them ahead after 27min.

McGrath released the slim striker with a fine through ball and the accomplished newcomer cleverly jinked around the onrushing Jody Bisson before steadying himself and picking his spot past hastily retreating defenders.

Sam Cochrane almost added to the lead with a flick-on at a corner, but Vale had their own chances with Jamie Blondel shooting weakly and Rihoy pulling his effort badly wide when put clear by Patch.

Bels' second goal was a cracker and simply highlighted the advances made by young McGrath this season.

Not for the first time on the night, he was left unmarked wide on the left, but the way he received the ball at speed, hared in from the corner flag and smashed a cross-shot high into the far corner were of a standard far higher anything else seen locally last night.

He might have scored an opportunistic second but for a sharp-eyed piece of lining by Nigel Legg late on, by which time Vale had levelled with two tap-ins after half-saves from Rhys Gower.