Port Vale surge clear with Salford win but Mansfield are beaten by league leaders

Port Vale have surged three points clear of the Cobblers in the race for automatic promotion thanks to Tuesday’s 1-0 victory at Salford City.

Both teams were in fine form going into the game and it was Vale who made it six wins in seven thanks to Harry Charsley’s second-half strike.

The victory keeps Vale third in League Two, three points clear of Northampton and Bristol Rovers with a significantly better goal difference.

Mansfield Town also remain three points adrift after losing 1-0 to league leaders Forest Green Rovers. Josh March scored the only goal of the game on 14 minutes before George Lapslie saw red in the second-half.

Mansfield remain sixth in Sky Bet League Two, level on points with Rovers and Northampton, and still have another game in hand.

Salford, meanwhile, stay down in 10th but are only two points off the play-offs themselves.