Port Vale seal promotion to League One with play-off final win against Mansfield

Goals by Kian Harratt, James Wilson and Mal Benning helped Port Vale down Mansfield 3-0 in the Sky Bet League Two play-off final to ensure an emotional Darrell Clarke ended a difficult season on a high.

Clarke spent six weeks on compassionate leave following the loss of a close family member in February but his phased return helped Vale into the play-offs and they are now back in the third tier for the first time since 2017.

First-half headers by Harratt and Wilson put the Stoke club in control before former Stags ace Benning added the cherry on the cake with five minutes left to thump Nigel Clough’s 10 men, who had Oli Hawkins sent off in the 36th minute.

The two clubs endured roller-coaster seasons, with Mansfield going on a 12-game winless run early into the campaign while Vale won only one of their opening eight games before both outfits clicked ahead of the winter period.

With Nottingham Forest also set to visit the national stadium on Sunday, Stags boss Clough was hoping to start a double weekend of success for the family name and his side should have gone ahead.

Poor communication by Vale custodian Aidan Stone let in Jamie Murphy but he headed straight at the goalkeeper before the former Mansfield stopper had to head away a loose ball outside his goal with Rhys Oates closing him down.

By this point both sets of supporters had shown their support for Clarke with applause in the eighth minute started by the Stags fans due to that being the number he used to wear during his playing days at Field Mill.

Clarke in response applauded the fans of his current and old employers before he was able to punch the air in delight following the breakthrough goal in the 20th minute.

Harratt had been thwarted by the inside of the