Sheffield Wednesday boss Darren Moore is delighted his title contenders are winning “ugly” after a 1-0 victory at Port Vale.

The big-spending Owls are among the favourites to get promoted to the Championship this season.

Vale, who returned to the third tier this season, held their own but Will Vaulks’ second-half 30-yard wonder strike settled the spoils at Vale Park.

“I’m just pleased to get the three points,” stressed Moore, after his side’s second straight win having beaten Wycombe 3-1.

“I was really pleased again. We had to build on that Wycombe performance and I thought we did that by being dogged, by being resilient, by bringing parts of the game which people associate with being ugly parts of the game. I thought the boys did that.

“We believed second half a chance would fall and it did just that through Will Vaulks.

“I was speaking to my assistant manager Jamie Smith in the dressing room and we were saying we get more satisfaction out of that than when we beat Forest Green by five.

“It shows a different approach to the game, sometimes you need to dig in and be willing to fight and we did that.

“They had to fight and scrap and they were willing to put that work in.”

Vaulks opened his Owls account in fine style and it was a strike worthy of winning any game.

Moore was delighted for the 29-year-old after the former £2million Cardiff signing was struck down by injury earlier in the season.

Moore said: “Will is growing with us. We know the importance of him. He’s showing the class that he is.

“He’s that anchor in midfield. He’s growing in stature and performance. I’m really pleased for him. It was an excellent strike.”

Vale boss Darrell Clarke was left disappointed after the defeat but is pleased with what his League One new boys are showing against the big hitters in the division.

In seven days they have lost at Peterborough, who were in the Championship last season, and only came unstuck due to Vaulks’ stunner against the third-placed Owls.

Clarke said: “We’re disappointed, but first and foremost I want to thank the fans because I thought they were absolutely outstanding.

“It was a fantastic strike from their lad which wins them the game.

“We want to have a good go at teams, even when they’re top teams like Sheffield Wednesday, especially at home.

“We want to have a right good go with the ball. We caused them problems but we lacked that little bit of quality. It wasn’t to be.

“The difference with the top teams you play at this level is that they have that real genuine quality throughout the group and they can hurt you.

“What I will say is that we look like we can compete against those teams and that’s the future of where we need to be heading and get to the stage where we’re beating those top teams.

“From today’s performance I don’t think that’s a million miles away.”