Port Vale Earn First Away Point Against Gillingham

Port Vale earned their first away point of the season after Keyrol Figueroa scored his first senior goal for the club in a 1-1 draw against Gillingham at MEMS Priestfield Stadium. According to One Vale Fan's match report published on October 20, 2026, the Liverpool loanee came off the bench to equalize in the 66th minute after Ronan Hale had given the hosts a first-half lead. The result extended Port Vale's unbeaten run, while Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth was pleased with his players' response during the contest, according to a report published by Penarth Times on October 20, 2026.

Gillingham took the lead in the 39th minute when Hale converted a penalty after George Hall was penalized for a high boot. The goal followed a period of pressure from the home side, who had earlier threatened through a header that Marko Marosi saved.

Port Vale struggled to create clear opportunities before halftime and went into the break trailing 1-0. One Vale Fan reported that the visitors had not forced the Gillingham goalkeeper into a save during the opening period.

Manager Jon Brady responded by making three substitutions at halftime, including bringing on Figueroa. The changes helped Port Vale become more threatening in attack as the second half opened up. Gillingham initially had an opportunity to extend their advantage when Tom Eaves tested Marosi shortly after the restart. Port Vale then increased the pressure, with substitute Ollie Lynch hitting the side netting in the 53rd minute and Kyle John sending another opportunity over the crossbar three minutes later.

Figueroa also missed a headed chance before finding the net 66 minutes into the match. The forward reacted quickly inside the penalty area to force the ball over the line from close range, recording his first senior goal for Port Vale. The equalizer gave the visitors renewed momentum, and they continued searching for a winner. Kyle Dempsey came close with a powerful free kick in the 79th minute, while Figueroa went down inside the penalty area during a later attack, prompting appeals from Port Vale players.

Despite their stronger second-half performance, Port Vale could not find a decisive goal. The draw nevertheless secured their first point away from home this season. Brady made two changes to his starting lineup before kickoff, bringing in Kyle John for Jaheim Headley and George Byers for Kyle Dempsey.

Headley and Dempsey began the match among the substitutes, while Marosi retained his place in goal. One Vale Fan identified Figueroa as Port Vale's standout performer, highlighting his contribution after entering the match at halftime. The report also praised Marosi's goalkeeping and Jasper Moon's defensive presence during the contest.