George Byers’ second-half penalty was enough to give Port Vale a 1-0 victory over Exeter City at Vale Park on Saturday. The defeat leaves Matt Taylor’s side 16th in the League Two table with five points from their opening six games.
Byers converted from the spot in the 70th minute after a foul in the box, a goal that proved decisive in a tight contest. Exeter City, who had won their previous match in the EFL Trophy, failed to register a single shot on target from their ten attempts.
A tight first half
The first period was a cagey affair with few clear chances for either side. Exeter City’s best opening came from a set-piece but the header sailed wide. Port Vale enjoyed a slight edge in possession but struggled to test goalkeeper J. Bycroft, who was largely untroubled before the break.
Jake Doyle-Hayes was shown a yellow card for a foul eight minutes before half-time, one of nine fouls committed by the visitors. The teams went into the interval goalless, with the game seemingly there for the taking.
The decisive moment
The match turned twenty minutes from time when the referee pointed to the spot for a foul on a Port Vale attacker. George Byers stepped up and sent Bycroft the wrong way to give the hosts the lead. Exeter City manager Matt Taylor responded immediately with a double substitution, bringing on George Birch and Taylor Perry for Danny Rose and Doyle-Hayes.
Despite the changes, Exeter could not find a way through a resolute Vale defence. Taylor Perry received a late yellow card in stoppage time as frustration grew. Port Vale saw out the final minutes to secure the three points.
Where it leaves Exeter
This result extends Exeter City’s winless run in the league to three matches. They now sit 16th in the standings, seven points behind early leaders Bristol Rovers. The team’s form shows one win, two draws and two losses from their last five league outings.
The next match is a home game against Northampton Town on the 9th of January.
Manager Matt Taylor will need to address a lack of cutting edge, with his side scoring just four goals in six league games so far. The focus now shifts to preparing for the visit of Northampton, who currently sit 14th in the table.
Captain Jack Fitzwater described the 1-0 loss as a 'sore' defeat. He said, "There are no commitment issues or lack of honest hard work, but it was pretty obvious for everyone to see we lacked quality today." The result leaves Exeter City 20th in League Two with five points from six games. The penalty was conceded after Luca Woodhouse's heavy touch and foul on Jordan Gabriel. The team's next match is at home to Northampton on the 9th of January.
