Darren Moore merrier for late goal and says Port Vale did not deserve to lose

Darren Moore would have been “bitterly disappointed” to have come away from the Cherry Red Records Stadium with nothing after Port Vale secured a 1-1 draw with AFC Wimbledon.

The visitors dominated the first half but fell a goal behind with 18 minutes remaining after Antwoine Hackford pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area before finding the bottom-right corner.

However, Alistair Smith lost possession in his own half in the 86th minute, which allowed George Hall to set up Devante Cole for the equaliser.

Moore felt his side could have easily left south London with all three points after extending their Sky Bet League One unbeaten run to five games.

“Considering we were the away team, coming here, and the performance we put on, I am so disappointed not to take three points,” he said.

“I am gutted not to take three points.

“To come here and limit them down to a long-range effort in the second half and a misjudgement from one of our players, which led to their goal, I would have been bitterly disappointed to go back up the road with nothing to show for it.

“I said to the boys, one quality they have got is that they never know when they are beaten, and obviously we fashioned an equaliser at the end.

“Wimbledon were determined, they were plucky, they are at the top half of the table because they do not give much away.

“That is how the game went, we take the point and move on, but I would have been bitterly disappointed to have not come away from here with anything.”

The draw denied AFC Wimbledon a fifth league win in a row and leaves them fifth in the table, with Vale 15th.

Boss Johnnie Jackson was disappointed with the result after taking the lead but admitted the visitors could have been ahead in the first half.

“I’m not delighted because we got ourselves in front and at that stage you want to go and see it through,” he added.

“To concede so late, it is disappointing, but on reflection I have to be fair to what I have just seen, and I think it is a fair result.

“They certainly had their share of the game, definitely in the first half, they were the better team.

“They could count themselves unlucky not to be in front so we responded really well to get ourselves in front, but we knew they were going to come again, they are a good team.

“They are relentless in what they do, they make you defend constantly from corners, free-kicks and throw-ins.

“It is just unfortunate, the way their goal came about with my lad slipping in the corner, nothing you can do about that.

“So we feel a little hard done by there, but you have to respect the opposition and the way the game went and say that a draw was probably fair.”