Port Vale beat AFC Wimbledon to boost survival chances

Goals from Nathan Smith and Chris Eagles hauled Port Vale out of the Sky Bet League One relegation zone as they saw off AFC Wimbledon 2-0 at Vale Park.The two strikes, either side of half-time, were enough to secure a vital win for the Valiants, moving them two points ahead of 21st-placed Shrewsbury.In an end-to-end first half, Vale took the lead after 21 minutes when Eagles whipped in a cross for the stooping Smith to head past James Shea.Eagles then got himself on the scoresheet on 70 minutes, picking up the ball from Rigino Cicilia before rifling a shot in off the post from the edge of the box.The winger almost opened his account after 17 minutes when he set off on a run and beat two Wimbledon defenders before smashing his shot against the upright.The Dons did have chances of their own and nearly broke the deadlock 18 minutes in when Deniz Mehmet spilled Dean Parrett's powerful 25-yard effort, before only just stopping it on the goal-line.