Phil Parkinson savoured City’s last-gasp equaliser and then warned Valley Parade fans: Home games won’t be pretty.

Andrew Davies headed home in stoppage time to rescue a point last night after a mistake by Port Vale goalkeeper Stuart Tomlinson.

After back-to-back postponements, City’s first game for 17 days was hampered by a heavy pitch – and Parkinson admitted that the playing surface is going to be a long-term problem.

He said: “It was very difficult to play on. The supporters have got to understand it’s going to be ugly here from now until the end of the season.

“We’ve just got to grind out results because the pitch is not conducive to any sort of football.

“It’s not the groundsman’s fault at all. The conditions have been poor for him but it’s very hard to play on.

“We just ask for the commitment and desire from the lads to keep this home record we’ve got going.”

* Read full story in today’s Telegraph & Argus