Darlington conceded three quickfire second-half goals as Port Vale came from behind to coast to a 3-1 victory.

Darlo succumb to home defeat despite leading

Lowly Darlington conceded three quickfire second-half goals as Port Vale came from behind to coast to a 3-1 victory. The hosts took the lead in the sixth minute when Dan Groves picked out Tadgh Purcell at the far post and the Irishman calmed fired in his sixth goal for the club. Vale went close to an equaliser when Craig Davies burst into the area and saw his shot bravely blocked by keeper Shane Redmond in the 14th minute. Mor Diop fired across the face of the Vale goal in the 21st minute before Gareth Waite fired a 15-yard drive straight at Vale keeper Joe Anyon. However, substitute Doug Loft fired a 67th-minute equaliser for Vale a minute after stepping up from the bench. Darlington fell behind in the 72nd minute when a poor clearance fell to Louis Dodds and his shot from 15 yards flew into the net. In the 80th minute, Dodds crossed from the right and Lewis Haldane side stepped his marker before firing in from inside the six-yard box.