Harratt and Wilson seal promotion for Port Vale against 10-man Mansfield

Port Vale have not enjoyed too many sunny days in recent times and they will never forget this one. They are back in League One after five seasons away having overwhelming Mansfield with first-half goals from Kian Harratt and James Wilson, added to by a late Mal Benning volley; it is a fine achievement from a club that had not been fancied in pre-season and an extraordinary moment for their manager.

Darrell Clarke only recently returned to the dugout after a period of absence brought about by a close family bereavement; as the minutes ticked down he leaned upon an advertising hoarding with his head bowed, the emotions swirling, before joining his delirious charges on the pitch at full time.

A point had separated these sides in League Two but they were closer in another sense. Clarke came through Mansfield’s youth system before making 173 senior appearances in the late 1990s and early 2000s; he wore the number eight shirt and, at the club’s instigation, was heralded with an ovation in the eighth minute here. He was visibly moved when saluting the applause, which came from all sides of the national stadium.

It was just as well Jamie Murphy had not complicated the moment a few seconds previously. When the Vale defender James Gibbons left a harmless cross for Aiden Stone to deal with, his goalkeeper had not got the memo. Murphy had read the situation and was given a free header from eight yards; anywhere other than dead centre would have done but he allowed Stone to block and Vale’s back line were off the hook.

Murphy was not so lucky. Vale’s early threat had been limited to a couple of runs from Wilson but they would have the tie half-won by the 24th minute. Harratt had just hit the post with a measured left-footer when,