Reece Brown scored a second half brace as Forest Green continued their recent revival. 

The midfielder has now been involved in Rovers' last seven goals as he took his tally to 10 for the season. 

Forest Green started poorly and Port Vale were the better team in the first half. 

That forced Cooper to make two changes early in the second half which swung the game in their favour. 

Mark Cooper made two changes to the team that drew to Carlisle United. 

Joseph Mills wasn't risked as he was carrying a calf injury so Paul Digby came into the side with Nathan McGinley moving over to left wing-back. 

Lloyd James was also restored to the starting XI in place of Udoka Godwin-Malife. 

Rovers made a slow start and Port Vale got on top. 

Lewis Ward was called into action on 16 minutes when he had to make a triple save. 

Christian Montano drove into the box from the left and his arrowed shot was beaten away. He got a second bite at it and again Ward was in the way before the on loan Reading keeper had to recover to block Ricky Miller's attempt from close range. 

Neither side really impressed in the first half. 

Rovers could only fashion a couple of half chances. Christian Doidge turned the ball wide after arriving at the near post before Shephard played a delicious ball across the six yard box but nobody gambled on it and that's as good as it got in the first half. 

Cooper wasn't happy with what he saw and made a double change just five minutes after the break as George Williams and Junior Mondal were introduced in place of James and Reuben Reid. 

Rovers looked a lot more threatening after their introduction. Williams set up Winchester on 62 minutes who registered Forest Green's first shot on target before Mondal came close with a low shot that crept just wide of the post. 

The pair were involved in the build up as Rovers took the lead on 69 minutes. After the subs linked up in the box, there was a bit of pinball in the box before the ball fell to Brown on the penalty spot who smashed in his third goal in three games and his ninth of the season. 

The goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of Port Vale while Rovers grew in confidence. 

Seven minutes later it looked like Williams was going to race in and score Forest Green's second after being played through by Brown but he was denied by the flag. 

Vale went in search of an equaliser in the last 10 minutes and did have the ball in the net through Leon Legge but the linesman flagged for a foul on Brown by Ricky Miller before the cross went in, which angered the Vale fans. 

It gave Rovers a bit of a hostile atmosphere to contend with in the closing stages but Rovers managed the game professionally. 

They had a couple of free-kicks to defend and as Vale committed men forward, Rovers got it clear and Brown found himself clean through and with Winchester in support. He didn't need him and dinked the ball into the back of the net to make absolutely certain for Rovers who are now three points clear of eighth.