Port Vale 2 City 1

 It was Taylor’s night at Vale Park – but not City boss Peter.

Instead namesake Rob Taylor stole the show with a blistering winner as Port Vale came from behind for their first home victory over the Bantams in ten attempts.

Robbie Threlfall had smashed his second thundering free-kick to fire City into a half-time lead but they never looked comfortable against the lively home side, whose overall superiority eventually earned its reward with two second-half strikes.

It was an anti-climax after the edge-of-the-seat win at the Don Valley three days earlier but, disappointingly, the right result.

After five out of six on the road, it looked a case of one away game too many.

Taylor reckoned City’s display against Rotherham had been the best so far of his short reign so it was no surprise to see an unchanged team-sheet. Even the bench was the same, with a fit-again Gavin Grant held back for a reserves outing against Huddersfield.

History was definitely on the visitors’ side. City had won their last four trips – without conceding a goal – and were unbeaten at Vale Park in nine since 1989.

But they survived a mighty scare with the game less than five minutes old.

Centre half John McCombe pinged the ball forward and nobody reacted, allowing Marc Richards a free chance to lob the stranded Matt Glennon. The home fans were ready to salute his 16th goal of the season but the ball dropped just the wrong side of the far post.

City responded with a couple of corners – and then stunned their hosts with another spectacular Threlfall free-kick after 12 minutes.

The young Liverpool loanee, who had never taken a senior free-kick let alone scored before joining City, made it two in five appearances with a bending effort even better than the one on his debut against Rochdale.

But Vale should have been level within six minutes. Robert Taylor slipped past Simon Ramsden to drill in a low cross begging to be turned home – but Richards side-footed straight into the body of a relieved Glennon.

It was the striker’s second unexpected miss in the early exchanges and City were living dangerously.

The game was certainly very open on the big wide surface. One minute City were stringing together a neat move at one end; the next, Matt Clarke was muscling out Craig Davies and Richards was firing another pot-shot wide.

Gareth Evans rode Lee Collins’ challenge to pick out Michael Flynn but his header lacked the power to trouble Vale keeper Joe Anyon.

Luke O’Brien almost engineered an opening as he drove through two defenders before picking out Hanson wide to his right but the return cross was beyond him.

City’s defence was being made to work hard, with centre halves Clarke and Steve Williams in the thick of it as Vale plotted a way back. Behind them, Glennon was looking his usual steady self but was left motionless by a long-range blast from Anthony Griffith that did not miss by much.

The keeper was on his toes from Vale’s next attack to deal with Taylor’s left-wing volley. Then Williams came to Threlfall’s rescue to nick a cross away after the full back had over-committed himself against Lewis Haldane.

Threlfall snuck forward to have another dig at goal but was caught in a tackle as he shot and limped gingerly back to his own half.

But Vale continued to press hard and on the stroke of half-time it was Clarke with the vital interception from a Davies cross after Williams was pulled out of position.

City had got to the break with their goal intact but the lead was a precarious one.

Both sides made a change for the second half, with Taylor bringing off O’Brien for Omar Daley.

Daley, wearing dazzling blue boots, had wreaked havoc in the corresponding fixture last season and City were hoping he could utilise his pace in such a large area. Flynn had also dropped deeper as the formation switched to 4-3-3.

But before the changes had taken effect, City’s lead was gone.

It came from a rare mistake from Ramsden, who lunged for a ball he could not reach, allowing Taylor to slip past him, and his low cross was tapped in at the far post by Richards.

It was the first goal City had conceded at Vale Park in five matches – but no more than the home side deserved.

Daley instantly went down in a tangle of legs with Collins and the Vale defender became the first name in Neil Swarbrick’s book.

City were looking for a response and Flynn’s pass round the corner released Hanson, whose effort was smothered by a well-timed block from his shadow McCombe.

Daley got a chance to stretch his legs and nearly played in Evans but the winger’s brief burst earned applause from his manager on the touchline.

The action was getting cluttered, with petty fouls from both sides, though the home crowd felt their team were getting the rough end of it from the referee.

City were still under the cosh. Lee Bullock had to be alert in the six-yard box to clear McCombe’s flick-on from Tommy Fraser’s corner; then it was Williams at full stretch to block a dangerous cross by Davies.

The ball was spending too long in their own half and coming back again too fast when they did manage to clear. Evans lost the ball on halfway as Taylor tore away on a bustling run but, having slipped the ball through Williams to get into a great shooting position, he blazed high and wide.

Mark McCammon came on for Evans with 13 minutes left to give City a bit more oomph up front. The substitute went to centre forward, with Hanson switching to the left and Daley right.

But again, a sub was immediately followed with a Vale goal. And what a belter it was.

The ball dropped to Taylor 25 yards out and he unleashed a ferocious half-volley that flew over Glennon with the aid of a slight deflection and into the roof of the City net.

City had 12 minutes to save the game and Michael Boulding was thrown on as an extra striker.

But legs were tiring and missed tackles from Daley and Flynn allowed Haldane room for a late drive over the bar.