Pook earns Robins point

A second-half cracker from Michael Pook secured a 1-1 for Cheltenham at Port Vale in assistant manager John Schofield's first game in charge.

Schofield was at the helm after Martin Allen was placed on gardening leave following an alleged incident outside a nightclub last weekend.

The first-half was wide open and it was a near miracle only Vale's top scorer Marc Richards found the net before the interval.

Richards was given the freedom of the penalty area to chest down a long ball from Luke Prosser and place a low shot beyond Scott Brown in the ninth minute.

Vale goalkeeper Chris Martin saved well from Michael Townsend and David Bird before Pook's drive was spectacularly cleared off the line by Sam Stockley.

But Vale also had several other chances, with Lewis Haldane striking the angle of bar and post and Townsend denying Kris Taylor with a last-ditch clearance.

Vale pushed for a second after the break, but Cheltenham soaked up the pressure before equalising in the 66th minute.

A long throw from Bird was only partially cleared and Pook drove a first-time shot from 25 yards which found the top left-hand corner of Martin's net.

Both sides had chances to win it in the closing stages, with Haldane heading wide from six yards before Bird and Elvis Hammond squandered great opportunities at the other end.