Port Vale booked an immediate return to League One with a 2-0 win at AFC Wimbledon to secure automatic promotion with one game still to play.

After a first half in which Darren Moore's side failed to produce a single effort on target, Vale came to life in the space of three minutes as Jayden Stockley and Jaheim Headley beat Owen Goodman to send the travelling fans into raptures.

Stockley had already had an effort ruled out by an offside flag before he got on the end of Headley's free-kick to head home in the 64th minute for his 11th goal of the campaign.

Headley went from provider to scorer three minutes later as he ran on to a fine from captain George Byers to side-foot past Goodman and, with Doncaster Rovers beating Bradford City, seal promotion with a chance to still lift the title on the final weekend of the season.

With both sides having plenty to play for, the first half failed to live up to its billing as the enormity of the occasion produced a scrappy, disted affair.

It took until time added on for either goalkeeper to be tested, with Port Vale's Ben Amos denying Sam Hutchinson.

Doncaster's half-time lead against Bradford, with the Bantams reduced to 10 men, meant Vale knew a victory would surely guarantee promotion and the second-half performance reflected their recent form of six wins from nine outings.

Stockley thought he had nudged his side in front after 55 minutes as he reacted quickest when Connor Hall's header had hit the bar and goalkeeper Goodman, tapping home from close range only for the assistant's flag to curtail the celebrations.

Wimbledon failed to heed the warning and paid the price nine minutes later with Stockley left unmarked to flick a header beyond Goodman from Headley's free-kick delivery.

Wing-back Headley then gave the visitors some breathing space as he latched on to Byer's defence-splitting to finish confidently and cue the celebrations.

AFC Wimbledon assistant boss Terry Skiverton said:

"In the second half there was a couple of mind-boggling decisions that cost us.

"[Riley] Harbottle gets a head injury and he's down for 20 seconds, we alert the fourth official and he says it seems like he's tried to get up.

"Our lad is down for five minutes after Port Vale score, then seven minutes later one of their players gets a head injury [and] the referee blew up.

"At two goals down it's really hard for us to get back into the game, the momentum of the game had changed – Port Vale knew how to see the game out.

"It's tough to take, especially when you see the other team getting promoted and celebrating in front of our fans."

Port Vale boss Darren Moore said:

"Today was a case of getting the promotion sealed, and that's what we secured. Next week we'll see our fans and it will be a packed house at Vale Park.

"I'm really pleased for everyone connected with the club, I was pleased with the performance as much as anything.

"We know that to come here, it's not an easy place to come to. They haven't given much away here all season.

"But the manner we took the game to them was really pleasing, and I'm so proud of the players.

"We had moments in the game, and credit to the players after the disallowed goal for regaining their focus.

"The header from Jayden was textbook, and the second goal from Jaheim is a fantastic well-worked goal."

Saturday lunchtime's win at the Cherry Red Records Stadium guaranteed automatic promotion for Vale with one match in hand – but it did not always look that comparatively comfortable for Darren Moore's men.

They led the table for most of the first half of the season, only to then fall away, but can now wrap up the league title if they beat Gillingham at home next Saturday and Doncaster Rovers fail to win at Notts County, who secured a play-off place with a 3-1 win at Harrogate Town.

After last season's turbulent campaign, which featured the sackings of manager Andy Crosby and director of football David Flitcroft, Vale failed to recover and were relegated from League One following a 2-0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers in the penultimate match of the season.

But the club's owners had crucially already made their biggest decision in bringing in Darren Moore in February 2024 on a five-and-a-half-year contract. Their show of faith in giving the former West Bromwich Albion, Doncaster Rovers, Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield Town boss such a long-term deal was quickly rubberstamped by confirming that he would remain in charge.

Sure enough, having recruited extensively, Vale started well with an opening-day win at Salford City, featuring two goals from their new captain Ben Garrity.

They then lost just three of their first 16 fixtures to stand five points clear at the top by mid-November.

But the loss of the inspirational Garrity to injury triggered a run of eight matches without a win and, by New Year's Day, Vale had plummeted to fifth in League Two, 14 points behind runaway leaders Walsall.

As well as getting Garrity back fit again, Moore also dipped into the transfer market, g Huddersfield's Jaheim Headley, who made an instant impact on his home league debut, scoring the winner against Newport County, after Garrity had netted the opener.

Then, after back-to-back February home wins against Notts County and Salford City, they climbed into the automatic promotion places a month later following a late derby winner at local rivals Crewe Alexandra.

After battling back from 3-0 down to suffer a 3-2 defeat at Mark Hughes' Carlisle United on Good Friday, Jesse Debrah's 95th-minute equaliser against Grimsby, in front of Vale Park's best crowd of the season, then ensured it was not a pointless Easter, leading to Vale's promotion-sealing victory at Wimbledon.