Vale defeat Gills to go top
Last Updated: January 12, 2013 7:30pm
Lee Hughes: Hit the winner on his Vale debut
Lee Hughes hit the winner on his debut as Port Vale leapfrogged Gillingham to go top of League Two with a 2-1 victory at Priestfield.
Hughes claimed the winning goal on his Vale debut, although the final touch following a goalmouth scramble may have gone in off Gills defender Adam Barrett.
Hughes' strike partner Tom Pope had given the Valiants a fourth-minute lead, heading past Stuart Nelson following a pin-point Adam Yates cross for his 24th league goal of the season.
Danny Kedwell pulled one back for the hosts less than 60 seconds after Hughes' 20th-minute finish.
It was Gillingham who had the better of the chances despite trailing at the break, with Chris Neal saving from Myles Weston and Kedwell's near-post flick almost crossing the line.
In the second half Pope and Hughes, signed from Notts County this week, showed good signs of an understanding as each teed up the other for efforts at goal.
As the hosts chased an equaliser in vain, Neal saved brilliantly from Charlie Lee's header while Weston fired over.
Matches
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npower League 2
Table
npower League 2
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gillingham | 46 | 83 |
| 2 | Rotherham United | 46 | 79 |
| 3 | Port Vale | 46 | 78 |
| 4 | Burton Albion | 46 | 76 |
| 5 | Cheltenham Town | 46 | 75 |
| 6 | Northampton Town | 46 | 73 |
| 7 | Bradford City | 46 | 69 |
| 8 | Chesterfield | 46 | 67 |
| 9 | Oxford United | 46 | 65 |
| 10 | Exeter City | 46 | 64 |
| 11 | Southend United | 46 | 61 |
| 12 | Rochdale | 46 | 61 |
| 13 | Fleetwood Town | 46 | 60 |
| 14 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 60 |
| 15 | Wycombe Wanderers | 46 | 60 |
| 16 | Morecambe | 46 | 58 |
| 17 | York City | 46 | 55 |
| 18 | Accrington Stanley | 46 | 54 |
| 19 | Torquay United | 46 | 53 |
| 20 | AFC Wimbledon | 46 | 53 |
| 21 | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 52 |
| 22 | Dagenham & Redbridge | 46 | 51 |
| 23 | Barnet | 46 | 51 |
| 24 | Aldershot Town | 46 | 48 |
