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Port Vale boss Darren Moore says he wants more exciting evenings at Vale Park like Monday night's thrilling local derby draw with League Two promotion rivals Crewe Alexandra.

Even on a freezing cold night in the Potteries, Vale were watched by 10,222 as they so nearly held on with 10 men to all but defy a second-half battering by Crewe, who finally thrillingly levelled two minutes into added time.

That is the biggest home crowd Vale have pulled in since Moore took charge in mid-February, when the Valiants were already in the middle of the spectacular nosedive that led them to relegation from League One.

But it is a different story this season as Moore's men lead League Two by three points from Walsall, who have a game in hand.

Vale's next home game is likely to attract another bumper Burslem crowd when they host Walsall for what is likely to be a battle of the top two on Saturday 7 December - and Moore cannot wait.

"This is how I want to see Vale Park week in, week out," he told ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Stoke. "When the stadium is in full voice like this, there aren't many better arenas."

No empty claim for a ground that was once futuristically dubbed the Wembley of the North when it was built in 1950 and boasts a record crowd of almost 50,000 prior to becoming an all-seater stadium in the late 1990s, with a current capacity of close to 16,000.

"When we went down to 10 men, you could feel the energy coming from the crowd," said Moore. "But it works both ways. The Vale fans saw a spirited effort. It's about having the right people here with that right mentality.

"That game will stand us in good stead for future games this season. Seven months ago when I came in, there's no way we'd have got anything out of that."

Vale's growing injury problems were not helped by the possibly harsh red card for committed midfielder Rekeem Harper, which will rule him out of next Tuesday's trip to Cheltenham Town.

But Moore was more concerned with the frustration of losing the former West Bromwich Albion youngster, just at a moment when he was starting to flourish on his first Vale start.

"It's a bittersweet night for him," said Moore. "Up until then we saw the difference he made and what he brings to the team, with his power on the transition. But we're a developing team and a developing group and we've got people who can deputise."

One of those who came in was fit-again Sam Hart, who filled in at centre-half on his first appearance since August.

"Credit to the gaffer. He's built a team who can all play in different positions when people get injured," said Hart.

"The gaffer said after that, in games like this last year, we might have folded but, come the end of the season, that will be a good point.

"Other teams want to catch us but we don't want to get caught."