Port Vale 0 – 3 Stockport

Stockport moved to the top of the Sky Bet League One table after a fourth successive win with a comfortable 3-0 win away to Port Vale.

Nathan Lowe, Kyle Wootton and Jack Diamond all found the back of the net within 16 minutes of the first half to ensure County rose from fourth place to go two points clear at the top.

Meanwhile, Vale’s defeat leaves them in the relegation zone and two points from safety.

The visitors opened the scoring in the 13th minute, with on-loan Stoke striker Lowe heading home a Tyler Onyango cross for his second goal in as many games.

Wootton’s precise finish from the edge of the penalty area doubled the Hatters’ lead after 10 minutes and took his league goal tally for the season to six.

Things got better for Dave Challenor’s side shortly before the half-hour mark as Diamond cleared the ball away from Jesse Debra in the penalty area before calmly shooting past Joe Josi.

Ruari Button’s long-range free-kick hit the crossbar just before half-time in a rare attack for the home side.

Stockport almost added a fourth when Lowe, who was fortunate to only receive a yellow card for an elbow on Marvin Johnson late in the opening period, hit a post in the second half.

Challenor: Stockport doesn’t go away

Stockport boss Dave Challenor He refused to get carried away after watching his team move to the top of the League One table.

“We could be outside the top of the league by tomorrow [Tuesday, after Bradford’s game against Lincoln]“So we’ll just enjoy it the way it is for now,” Challenor said.

He added: “But we played 14 matches, and we have 28 points, two points in each match, which is a good number.” [good] Number over the course of 46 matches. If we do that we will be happy.

“But we’re only a little way through the season, so there’s still a long way to go.

“It was great that the fans were able to support us throughout the match.

“We’ve been talking and saying that eventually someone will be more than 1-0 [win] Fortunately, it was tonight.

“And we will try to back that up next Saturday at Tranmere in the FA Cup.”

Moore: Port Vale don’t show a true reflection of themselves

Port Vale president Darren Moore:

“The boys are not showing real reflection regarding the situation we are in.

“If we had scored that goal in the first few minutes, it would have been a completely different game. It’s a great opportunity.

“It’s almost like two identical chances – one for us that we didn’t take and one for them that they did.

“That was the difference in terms of the quality of finishing when they were [the chances] They introduced themselves.

“And these are the bits and pieces where we have to be more clinical.

“We have to ask more of ourselves in terms of when we get into those situations.

“We have reached those positions, but the chances seem to be declining.”