ON-THE-WHISTLE MATCH REPORT: Swindon Town 3-2 Port Vale

Paul Mullin's 88th-minute strike stole the three points for Swindon Town in a five-goal game against Port Vale.

Mullin, who came on as a second-half sub, won the game for Swindon with just two minutes left when he flicked the ball over the keeper from close range.

Michael Tonge gave Vale the lead after 11 minutes but two goals from Richards put Swindon 2-1 up at the County Ground.

Christian Montano headed the visitors level again just before half-time and Mullin struck late to secure a win for Town.

Port Vale started the brighter and had the first shot of the game when Montano's attempt from range was blocked after four minutes.

Swindon went down the other end but fared no better, as Luke Norris could only flash a strike from an acute angle across the face of goal and wide of the far post.

It was Vale that broke the deadlock though when Tonge found the back of the net on the 11-minute mark.

Town failed to sufficiently clear a free-kick from the left, towering striker Tom Pope headed the ball across goal and Tonge had the easy task to flick it into a gaping goal. 

Richards scooped an effort over the bar in the 16th minute after a Matt Taylor low cross from the left was not properly cleared by a Vale.

Soon after, Ollie Banks shot well wide from range for Swindon while Kyle Howkins narrowly headed a corner over the bar.

Taylor then fizzed a free-kick from 35 yards well wide but Swindon only had to wait another minute for their first goal.

Striker Norris played a great ball out to the left to Taylor, who played in a great cross to Richards and Richards, against one of his former clubs, diverted a brilliant header into the far bottom corner for 1-1 in the 24th minute.

Richards got his second goal of the game in the 39th minute with a composed finish that came in fortunate circumstances.

Vale goalkeeper Ryan Boot tried to boot the ball clear from his goal but only managed to hit defender Howkins. The ball dropped to Norris who took his time and played in Richards who was in the clear.

Richards took the ball in his stride and slotted it past Boot and into the back of the net for his seventh Swindon goal in his seventh Swindon game.

Swindon's lead did not last long though as another man scored against his former club. Montano, who was a Town player during the League Two promotion campaign under Paolo Di Canio headed in a corner just before stoppage time. 

Early in the second half, Banks tried to find the back of the net from distance, but all he could find was the car park, as his shot flew over the roof of the Town End.

Port Vale almost made it 3-2 as they threatened from another set-piece. Substitute Joe Davis headed a corner just over the bar, with goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook rooted to his line.

Keshi Anderson had his first shot of the match, but he too could only fire over the bar, as he struck first-time from the semi-circle after a Town corner was not properly cleared.

Timi Elsnik then had a go from 25 yards, but Boot got down low to claim it.

Kaiyne Woolery replaced Norris in the 65th minute and straight away got on the ball, however he could only shoot straight at Boot after cutting in and letting fly from a tight angle. 

The game seemed to be fading to nothing in the last 25 minutes, until that late Mullin strike which got Swindon back to winning ways following a midweek defeat at Wycombe.

Swindon Town: Charles-Cook, Purkiss, Robertson, Menayese, Knoyle, Banks, Elsnik (Dunne '64), Taylor, Anderson (Mullin '80), Richards, Norris (Woolery '64)

Subs not used: Moore, Romanski, Iandolo

Port Vale: Boot, Harness (Barnett '27 (Wilson '83), Pugh, Pope, Worrall (Davis '45), Montano, Gibbons, Smith, Tonge, Howkins, Hannant

Subs not used: Lainton, Jules, Raglan, Forrester

Man of the Match: Marc Richards

Attendance: 5713

Referee: Andy Woolmer