PORT VALE 2 
O'Kelly, Riley.
EXETER CITY 0 

Half-time 1-0

Played at Vale Park, Burslem. Monday October 26th 1987.

Attendance 2,176.

Port Vale:- Grew; Banks, Hughes; Walker, Hazell, Sproson; Maguire, Finney, Riley, O'Kelly, Harper.

Exeter City: Shaw; Cooper, Viney; Massey, Taylor, Carter; Batty, Edwards, Kellow, Delve, Harrower.

CITY FACING UPHILL TASK

DEFEAT at Vale Park last night leaves Exeter City with a sizeable task if they are to qualify for the knockout stages of the Freight Rover Trophy. With Vale and Newport now banking one win apiece, the pressure in on Exeter to score a handsome victory when they entertain the Welsh club in the remaining group game at St James's Park next month.

Exeter's achievement in the Potteries was to restrict the home side to a modest success in the light of their undoubted superiority. Vale, unbeaten at home, reckoned they needed a winning three goal margin to guarantee their passage and on the balance of play the should comfortably have reached their target. Exeter's negative approach of a sweeper system and two man attack made it a frustrating nights for Vale, who were so much on top yet failed to make the most of their wealth of possession. Exeter invited Vale to surge forward right from the start and succeeded in keeping them at bay for 25 minutes. Then Richard O'Kelly chased a pass from Kevin Finney and lobbed the ball past the ad- vancing John Shaw to draw first blood. Vale netted again four minutes later, young Steve Harper hitting a crisp left footed volley past Shaw only for a colleague to be flagged offside. In a stop-start affair Exeter caught a rare glimpse of the Vale goal when Paul Batty set up a shot for Tony Kellow which Grew saved in comfort. Batty was one of Exeter's most impressive players on the left wing and he tested Grew with a shot from 30 yards which the keeper saved at the second attempt. Exeter fell further behind after 57 minutes. Despite dic- tating much of the open play Vale had to rely on a set piece to notch their second goal. Paul Maguire's corner kick to the near post was flicked on first by Phil Sproson, then O'Kelly for new signing David Riley to grad his third goal in as many games. Exeter promptly sent on substitute Paul Williams for Dean Edwards and began to show more enterprise. Kellow went close, then from Williams's cross the ball came loose to Richard Massey whose well struck shot was kept out one handed by the Vale keeper.