Port Vale 3-2 Notts County

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Veteran striker Brett Angell scored twice as Port Vale recorded their fifth successive league victory with a home win over Notts County that was a thrilling advert for Division Two football.

Vale set a cracking pace from the off with Stephen McPhee going close and Michael Cummins hitting the post before they took a fifth-minute lead.

Marc Bridge-Wilkinson swung over a free-kick, awarded for Craig Ireland's foul on McPhee, and Angell dived forward to bury an unstoppable header into the net at the far post.

County weathered further pressure before hitting back when Paul Bolland cracked a 25th-minute equaliser after Danny Allsopp's shot had been beaten out by Mark Goodlad.

And the visitors went ahead four minutes after the break when exposed Goodlad parried from Mark Stallard only for Allsopp to roll in the loose ball.

But Vale, who had created a hatful of chances, deservedly levelled in the 58th minute when Billy Paynter sprinted onto Bridge-Wilkinson's pass to hammer home the ball from 14 yards.

The winner arrived nine minutes from time when Stuart Garden palmed a blistering drive from Cummins high into the air and Angell outjumped the County goalkeeper to nod the ball home.

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

Notts County: Garden, Nicholson, Ramsden, Fenton, Ireland, Liburd, Brough, Bolland, Caskey, Stallard, Allsopp. Subs: Mildenhall, Richardson, Heffernan, Stone, Hackworth.

Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire)