Tuesday, 20th January, 1987

Football League Trophy 2nd Round


Freight Rover Trophy Qualifying Group Match

Exeter City 0, Port Vale 1

Teams:
Exeter City:
John Shaw, Steve Harrower, Keith Viney, Nicky Marker, Aiden McCaffery, Shaun Taylor, Paul Batty, Brendon O'Connell, Steve Biggins, Danny Keough, Mark Robson. subs: Tony Kellow of Batty (45th min), Steve Pugh not used.

Port Vale:
Alex Williams, Alan Webb, Russell Bromage, Ray Walker, Bob Hazell, Phil Sproson, Paul Smith, Robbie Earle, Andy Jones, Bowden, Paul Maguire. Subs: Chris Banks and Geoff Hunter not used.

Scorer: Port Vale: Paul Maguire.

Attendance: 1,365.

Port Vale robbed Exeter City of their unbeaten home record to reach the quarter final of the Freight Rover trophy. Paul Maguire's 44th minute goal was enough to separate the teams in a game that developed into a real slog as the pitch cut up badly. City produced a poor performance that deserved no better than defeat. their aimless football posed little threat to a well organised and more positive Port Vale side. There were one or two neat moves and some tidy interpassing in City's midfield, but for the most part they lacked purpose, pattern, and penetration. Both sides were flagging at the finish in strength sapping conditions.

The nearest City came to scoring was in the 43rd minute when Steve Biggins made a great run down the right, beat defender Bob Hazell, and pulled the ball back but sadly too far behind Mark Robson who was waiting unmarked in the middle with the goal at his mercy. Within sixty seconds Vale scored. Ray Walker slotted an intelligent pass through to Paul Smith, Andy Jones let his cross run, and Maguire stole in on the far post to crash home a close range shot.

City were generally disappointing, however, their long ball tactics were ineffective, boring and played straight into the hands of Vale's big defenders Hazell and Sproson. Vale almost increased their tally when John Shaw did well to get behind a stunning 35 yard shot from Maguire

Match Report 2, dated:-
Wednesday, 21st January
Western Morning News

GRECIANS LET RECORD SLIP

Exeter City not only lost their unbeaten home record, but their chance to go into the regional quarter finals of the Freight Rover Trophy with this slender margin defeat at the hands of Third Division Port Vale. In the second half, trailing by a goal which came a minute before the interval, Exeter threw everything they had into the battle to get back on terms. They came mighty close, gave Vale some anxious moments and forced the visitors into some hard, at times hectic, defensive work to keep Exeter at bay. But in the end, all that counted for nothing, for City's run of 16 unbeaten home league and cup games was over. The damage, despite Exeter's brave attempts to equalise, was really done in the first half, because then it was that Port Vale were very much in the driving seat. Exeter were rarely in attacking action in that period, but things changed after the interval, with substitute Tony Kellow coming on to add his canny skills to City's attack.

With Exeter not creating many first half opportunities, Vale dominated and deserved to go in at half time a goal up. In the first 45 minutes they looked the more positive and direct combination. Paul Smith sparked off the all important goal after picking up a great pass from Ray Walker-Smith put in his cross, Andy Jones deliberately let the ball go past him and in slipped Paul Maguire to blast the ball in from close range.