Port Vale return to winning ways with comfortable victory against MK Dons

Promotion-chasing Port Vale got back to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over MK Dons.

Lorent Tolaj, Jayden Stockley and Ben Garrity scored the goals to secure all three points for Vale as they bounced back from a midweek defeat against Colchester – their first in 12 league outings.

The win keeps Darren Moore’s side in sixth place in the Sky Bet League Two table, two points outside the automatic promotion spots, while the Dons remain in 18th position.

Vale started the match brightly and nearly took an early lead when Tolaj fired wide from close range following Ronan Curtis’ cross.

The Swiss midfielder made no such mistake in the 27th minute to put the hosts ahead, calmly slotting the ball past Connal Trueman having dispossessed Nico Lawrence and burst towards goal.

The visitors came close to equalising just before half-time, but Luke Offord’s header hit the top of the crossbar and went behind for a goal kick.

Vale doubled their advantage within seven minutes of the restart, with Stockley getting on the end of Curtis’ delivery and guiding the ball into the bottom corner.

It would have been 3-0 moments later had Trueman not produced a stunning save to keep out Connor Hall’s goal-bound header.

Alex Gilbey had a chance to halve the deficit in the 77th minute, only to blaze a first-time effort well over the crossbar.

A good day for the Valiants was capped off in the eighth minute of stoppage time as club captain Garrity, a late substitute for Tolaj, marked his return from injury by dinking the ball over Trueman after being played clean through by Curtis.