Match report: Exeter City 0-1 Port Vale

Yet another excellent goal by the bang in-form Tom Pope gave Vale their third straight win under Neil Aspin.

Pope’s seventh of the season and sixth in his last four games was an excellent first-half finish and enough to lift Vale further from the League Two drop zone.

Aspin made one change to his side bringing in Anthony Kay for Tyler Denton.  The goal came on twenty five minutes and was another good finish from the veteran forward. Whitfield nearly made it 2-0 ten minutes later but his excellent effort was tipped over.

Vale went into the interval a goal to the good but it was much more of a “backs to the wall” performance in the second-half as Exeter tried to get an equaliser. Vale’s defence held firm under sustained pressure although sub Tyrone Barnett wasted a rare breakaway with a wild shot.

But Vale’s backline held firm despite six minutes of injury time to record a welcome clean sheet and make it three wins on the bounce for Aspin’s army. The new man has turned around Vale’s fortunes with six points from two away matches and providing the right service for Tom Pope.

After all the trauma of the start of the season, Vale fans finally have reason to optimistic.