Port Vale 1-0 Colchester

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In-form Port Vale clinched a fourth successive league win with defender Sam Collins netting the winner against Colchester.

Collins' 47th minute goal was his first for the club.

Colchester were closest to breaking the deadlock in a very poor first half when Mick Stockwell's 17th-minute shot struck a post.

Brian Horton's team were a much more positive outfit after the break, however, and the decisive strike arrived within two minutes of the restart.

Marc Bridge-Wilkinson curled over a left-wing corner and Collins soared way above everyone else to bury a powerful header home from eight yards.

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Port Vale: Goodlad, Carragher, Collins, Rowland, Brightwell, McCarthy, Brisco, Cummins, Bridge-Wilkinson, McPhee, Angell. Subs: Delaney, Charnock, Paynter, Burns, McClare.

Colchester: McKinney, Johnson, White, Warren, Keith, Izzet, Bowry, Stockley, Odunsi, McGleish, Stockwell. Subs: Brown, Pinault, Morgan, Rapley, Baldwin.

Referee: M Ryan (Lancashire).