Port Vale 2 Barnsley 1: Marshall strikes late to leave Tykes floored

Michael O’Connor’s free kick had put the hosts 1-0 ahead at half-time.

But when the in-form Conor Hourihane equalised from the penalty spot it looked like being enough for the Tykes to pick up a point on their travels.

But they did not close down Mark Marshall as he snatched an 89th-minute winner for a Vale side who missed a penalty when Jordan Slew fired over, and had seen manager Micky Adams depart in midweek.

“It’s always an extra bit of a hit when it comes so late and the manner it came,” said Wilson of Vale’s 89th-minute winner.

“The fact young Mark Marshall danced around us like he did and we didn’t put a glove on him – it hurts a little bit more because it was avoidable. It typified a lot of the play and our defensive work today as we weren’t tight enough. We weren’t tight enough all over the pitch and that’s a concern for me.

“The one thing I’m sure the lads will take from it is that this type of game typifies League One games.

“You’ve got to be committed, you’ve got to be energetic, you’ve got to have enthusiasm and be prepared to put your head in where it hurts. With all those things you’ve got to make sure you earn that right to play the way we want to play. It won’t be given to us. You’ve got to go get your tackles in and put your headers in.”

Port Vale: Neal, Yates, Duffy, McGivern, Dickinson, Dodds (Moore 76), O’Connor (Brown 62), Lines, Marshall, Pope, Slew (Williamson 76). Unused substitutes: Robertson, Johnson, Daniel, Jennings.

Barnsley: Turnbull, Brown (Bree 46), Nyatanga, Mvoto, Dudgeon, Jennings, Cranie, Hourihane, Treacy (Winnall 57), Lita (Bailey 82), Cole. Unused substitutes: Berry, Hemmings, Davies, Noble-Lazarus.

Referee: D Whitestone (Northamptonshire).

Man of the match: Mark Marshall.