Superb victory at Vale a Park 
report by Jim Shepherd

Port Vale 1 Exeter City 3.

Tuesday 21 October 2008.

Referee : Jon Moss

Attendance 5,493 with 263 away fans.

Exeter City maintained their excellent form with a cracking 3-1 Ε Ewina win at Vale Park. There was one change to the line up that had drawn with Grimsby on the previous Saturday, so City lined up: Jones, Tully, Taylor, Seaborne, Maxey, Sercombe, Cozic, Edwards, Gill, Stewart and Stansfield. With Harley still nursing a thigh injury the bench comprised Marriott, Murray, Obersteller, Logan and Basham. It is clear how far City have come since August. Although some of the attacking threat has not been as constant as in earlier games there is a fierce belief that all games are winnable. It was a fairly conservative 4-5-1 formation that Tis started with, but big games from big players meant that once City got in front the result never looked in doubt. The saying goes that goals change games and never was that truer than last night. Neither side took early control and it was even stevens for the first quarter hour. By then City had threatened slightly when finding a couple of decent crossing positions and Vale had been probing through midfield trying to find an opening without success. On 18 minutes City took the lead-and then extended it within 60 seconds. Gill won a corner after a City throw had been cleared and he took it himself, inswinging to the near post from the leftThe home defence couldn't clear and the ball was stabbed goalwards, rebounded off a defender and dropped to Stewart 5 yards out who stroked the ball under the sprawling keeper for his first in City colours. City then stunned the home side further as they doubled their advantage. Sercombe picked up the ball 30 yards out slightly to the right of goal. He drove in towards the edge of the area but was shepherded across. However, just as it looked as if he may have to play the ball away from the danger area a gap opened up and he let fly with his left foot. The ball looped up and over Anyon in the Vale goal and nestled delightfully in the back of the net in front of the ecstatic 250+ City fans. So 2 up, with a formation designed to be able to contain and City looked in good shape. For the remainder of the half Vale did have some good possession, won a couple of comers and had a few shots on goal but with Cozic, Edwards, Taylor and Seabome in imperious defensive form they never saw the whites of Jones' eyes and were reduced to speculative efforts. Tully and Moxey both looked strong at full back and when called upon Joneshandling was immaculate and well timedWhen City needed an outlet Sercombe and Gill always seemed to be in space and Stansfield, despite not seeing a great deal of the ball was a constant menace and first line of defence.

The second period started in pretty much the same vain. City didn't need to attack, but were careful not to fall too deep. Vale came closest to reducing the deficit on 53 minutes as Jones did well to parry a 20 yard effort and Moxey was alert enough to beat an onrushing attacker and prod the ball away at the expense of a corner. The next real chance fell to City. After a Vale short corner routine merely ended up conceding a goal kick, Jones' punt was flicked on to Stansfield by Stewart He'd beaten the offside but as he bore down on Anyon's goal could only place his left foot effort agonisingly wide. But it wasn't long before City did get their third. A free kick was cleared for a corner, again for Gill to take on the left. As the ball swung across it looked for all the world as if Anyon would claim easily However, in the blink of an eye he inexplicably let the ball fall through his grasp and into the net. With the goal credited to Gill it now puts him back at the top of the City goalscoring charts with 5 for the season. And that was pretty much game over. Vale made their substitutions in an attempt to save some face and did get their consolation with 5 minutes left. As Basham came on for Gill a deep ball was played right to left to the far post. One Vale sub, Richman, nodded down for a second, Rodgers, who swept the ball beyond the challenge of Seabome and the dive of Jones. Added time saw City content to soak up the pressure Vale could exert from long set pieces but they comfortably held on. With results elsewhere coming through it transpired the Grecians had moved up to fifth place, 3 points off the top, after 24 hours earlier dropping out of the play off places as Darlington beat Bradford. But, as an away side, against a team coming off back to back wins themselves, City played almost the perfect game. As already alluded to, Jones' handling was excellent and he commanded his area well, illustrated in the second half as Taylor had the total confidence to duck under the ball as Jones came behind him to claim. City were never panicked into much and the cool heads of Edwards, Gill and Cozic in front of the back four gave them a solid platform to build possession and frustrate Port Vale. The support, again, was terrific. A long trip on a Tuesday evening and over 250 turn up. Superb. And all in fine voice. A good haul of points before a break for FA Cup action will see us consolidate nicely in amongst the top teams so make sure you're there to see it

BBC Match report and Stats 

Exeter brought an end to Dean Glover's bright start as Port Vale manager and extended Vale's dismal home run. Marcus Stewart drove home from close range after Berti Cozic had headed a 17th-minute corner against a post. Two minutes later, Liam Sercombe's 20-yard shot looped in after a deflection, before Matt Gill's 65th-minute corner slipped through Joe Anyon's fingers. Vale managed a consolation goal four minutes from time when Luke Rodgers drove in from close-range.

Port Vale: Anyon, Stockley, Prosser, Collins, McCrory, Dodds (Glover 82), Howland (Rodgers 62), Griffith (Richman 79), Davidson, Paul Edwards, Richards.

Subs Not Used: Martin, McCombe.

Booked: Howland.

Goals: Rodgers 86.

Exeter: Jones, Tully, Seaborne, Taylor, Moxey, Stewart, Gill (Basham 85), Edwards, Sercombe, Cozic, Stansfield.
Subs Not Used: Marriott, Obersteller, Murray, Logan.

Goals: Stewart 18, Sercombe 18, Gill 65.