MATCH REPORT: Port Vale 1-2 Newport County

Ryan Haynes and Finn Azaz strikes meant Newport County won their final away game of the 2021-22 season with a 2-1 victory at Port Vale.

The Sky Sports cameras filmed Haynes giving County a third-minute lead at Vale Park when the left-back swept home first-time Azaz's low cross across the box that just evaded a sliding Dom Telford but picked out Haynes.

Ben Garrity levelled matters six minutes after the second half restart but Azaz put County back in the lead on 72 minutes with a sweetly-struck volley after Vale failed to clear a Newport corner.

After going behind early, Vale upped the ante with Nathan Smith heading Chris Hussey's free-kick from the right over the bar just after the quarter-hour mark.

Port Vale keeper Aidan Stone was on hand to make two saves to deny Azaz and Telford who both saw decent strikes on goal kept out.

Vale's last chance of the half saw Harry Charsley send a half-volley from the edge of the box wide of Nick Townsend's left post.

Needing goals to keep their realistic dreams of automatic promotion alive, Vale started the second half brightly with Garrity and James Wilson both sending efforts over the bar before Garrity found space in the box before slotting in for 1-1 in the 51st minute.

County were back in the lead just over 20 minutes later though when Matt Dolan's right-sided corner was only headed into the path of Azaz and the League Two Young Player of the Year slammed home a fierce strike past Stone and in for 2-1 to puncture the atmosphere at Vale Park.

Naturally, Vale pushed for the leveller, but that only led to County getting more openings on the counter-attack and it was nearly 3-1 in the 89th minute when Azaz found time in the box before having his close-range shot well kept out by Stone.

Telford would also have a shot from the edge of the box deflected wide, with the home side unable to test Townsend with Newport seeing out a party-spoiling three points.

Port Vale: Aidan Stone, Nathan Smith, David Worrall, Ben Garrity, James Wilson (David Amoo '79), Mal Benning (James Gibbons '67), Jamie Proctor, Chris Hussey, Aaron Martin, Harry Charsley (Kian Harratt '69), Tom Pett (C) 

Subs not used: Tomas Holy, Jake Taylor, Sammy Robinson, Ryan Edmundson

Newport County: Nick Townsend, Cameron Norman, James Clarke, Josh Pask, Ryan Haynes (Aaron Lewis '73), Scot Bennett, Finn Azaz, Matt Dolan (C), Jake Cain (Oliver Cooper '52), Dom Telford, Courtney Baker-Richardson (Rob Street '59)

Subs not used: Joe Day, James Waite, Lewis Collins, Alex Fisher