In the 2008–09 season, Loft had made nine appearances for Brighton before joining League Two side Dagenham & Redbridge in February 2009 on loan until the end of the season. After impressing in his loan spell, and after making ten appearances for the Daggers, Brighton manager Russell Slade recalled Loft. He returned to Brighton to make seven further appearances before the end of the campaign. He signed for Port Vale on a two-year contract in June 2009, teaming up with former Brighton manager Micky Adams. He missed the opening two weeks of the 2009–10 pre-season with illness, though started to find his best form after settling in to the side. He was transfer listed in late September, along with the entire Port Vale squad, after Adams saw his team slip to a third consecutive defeat. After calf and heel injuries kept Loft out of contention, he returned to the first-team with a "rasping half-volley" in a 2–2 home draw with Torquay United on 23 November. He ended the season with three goals and 37 appearances in all competitions. His ribs eventually transpired to be broken, and he had also suffered a collapsed lung, keeping him out of action for three weeks. Despite a torn calf and a hamstring injury keeping him out of action for portions of the second half of the campaign, Loft was awarded a new two-year deal in May 2011.