The first leg of the final finished 1–1, with Port Vale midfielder Robbie Earle equalising in the 73rd minute after Gary Penrice had given Bristol Rovers the lead in the first half.

Port Vale had finished level on points with second-place Sheffield United, but their inferior goal difference cost them automatic promotion.

[3] Preston's Nigel Jemson put the home side in front on 16 minutes, before Robbie Earle levelled the score at 1–1 after a John Jeffers cross was flicked on by Darren Beckford.

[3] Futcher had the chance to take the lead with a penalty, only to hit the bar, before Beckford scored two goals in quick succession to claim a hat-trick and secure a 4–2 aggregate victory.

Bristol Rovers claimed a comfortable victory, winning 4–0 away with goals from Billy Clark, Ian Holloway, Dennis Bailey and Andy Reece.

[3] Port Vale were strong favourites, with The Guardian's David Foot reporting that financially limited Bristol Rovers had made it to the play-offs "against every apparent law of logic" as manager Gerry Francis had built a squad with a transfer budget of £20,000, half of which he had lent the club himself in order to sign Ian Holloway.

[13] Bristol Rovers were reported to have reserve players Paul Nixon and Willmott on stand-by as Devon White, Phil Purnell and leading scorer Gary Penrice faced late fitness tests,[14] though all three would start the game.

[16] Port Vale dominated the second half and it was Earle who equalised seventeen minutes from time to level the tie, scoring a headed goal from a Futcher cross.

[18] Port Vale manager John Rudge announced an unchanged team from the eleven that held Bristol Rovers to a 1–1 draw in the first leg.

[19] The first half finished goalless despite large periods of pressure from Port Vale, with Martyn in good form in the Bristol Rovers goal.

[21] In contrast, The Observer's Derek Wallis reported that "Rovers ... played some delightful football but they were unable to penetrate a resolute defence ... in which West and Glover needed to be constantly alert".

[22] With the play-offs still a relatively new concept, both managers and some journalists were highly critical of the idea and agreed that Port Vale had deserved their promotion after finishing the league campaign in third place.

[26] Goalkeeper Martyn went on to win 23 caps for England and spend a long career in the Premier League with Crystal Palace, Leeds United and Everton.

[32] Mastermind of the success John Rudge immediately signed a new two-year contract and continued to manage Port Vale until January 1999, when he was dismissed in a controversial decision by chairman Bill Bell.