Port Vale v Exeter City

[leedsvaliant]

With players coming back from injury and Aspin finally settling on a team and way of playing, it is no surprise that performances and results have taken an upturn. We look to play as a team and some players like Legge and Oyeleke currently look above this standard. We had a good result at Crewe last time out and played better in the second half, which sets us up nicely.

Exeter will be a big test for us. They have consistently been there or thereabouts over a few seasons and have a strong squad. This will give us an indication of whether we are improving. Exeter have made a strong start and will come here full of confidence.

We need to be up and at them from the off and not let them dictate the game. Then we can let our quality players get on the ball and being the home side, put pressure on their defence. Our defence still concerns me a little although we've just had two clean sheets in a row.

I think we might lose unfortunately as I think Exeter might just be a bridge too far for us at this moment in time. It will take this season for us to gel and then get rid of the poorer members of the squad.

 

[Buxton Vale]

Could we win 3 on the bounce? I think its possible, but we will need to be on top of our game. A win will set us up nicely, but a draw wouldn't be a disaster against a decent team.

2-1 win

 

[valefan16]

Tough game but winnable and we owe them one after somehow losing last season in a game we completely dominated!


This will be a good indicator as to the progress now players are back from injury and we’ve settled into a best XI.

We had some decent results against the top sides last season with a god awful squad, beating Exeter, Coventry and Lincoln fairly comfortably and then destroying Luton so can we repeat that kind of performance with a far superior squad to last season?

I have a good feeling about this (never a good sign!!) but think we might nick this one with our home form this calendar year and recent performances.

1-0 Pope.

 

[Randolph Haggerty]

Form and confidence counts for a lot in this division. We look good on both those.
Most of us knew we had a better first 11 than last year, we just hadn’t been showing (playing?) it. This is epitomised by Worrall dropping out despite being one of our better players last year.
I just hope we have a go at them, I know they’re a decent outfit, but no-ones unbeatable.
I really can’t remember the last time we won 3 on the spin, I fancy us to do it.

 

[valefan16]

Form and confidence counts for a lot in this division. We look good on both those.
Most of us knew we had a better first 11 than last year, we just hadn’t been showing (playing?) it. This is epitomised by Worrall dropping out despite being one of our better players last year.
I just hope we have a go at them, I know they’re a decent outfit, but no-ones unbeatable.
I really can’t remember the last time we won 3 on the spin, I fancy us to do it.

Ironically the last time was when we beat Exeter last season following on from wins against Cheltenham and Morecambe.

 

[Moomin]

Tbf I think this could be a really tough game for us. Vale seem to be improving and Pope always seems to score against us. Whitfield is a great little player and also good to hear that Oyeleke is doing well. I was gutted when we released him as he looked a talent.

As for us, we are on good form and at times have played some excellent stuff. Taylor has a bit of a selection dilemma though as over the last three wins we’ve played Stockley on his own up top with support from the likes of Boateng and Law, which has worked very well, however Forte is now fit and has scored 3 goals this week so do we stick with a successful formula or does he start with 2 up top. A nice problem to have I guess.

I have a feeling this will be a draw. 1-1, Pope for Vale and Law for us.

 

[darren gregory]

Very difficult game against a side who are always knocking around the top 6 despite losing players and now the manager has been replaced seemingly seamlessly.
We have looked ok at long last but i'm not counting any chickens that we have turned any corners particularly with the upcoming run of games we have.
Not being negative in saying i'll take a point and then i fancy us better on Tuesday against Franchise.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Amazing how many teams "completely dominate' us and lose...

I think this will be a test for us, particularly with our injuries in defence there's no way we will have a clean sheet but I think we will score, so 2-2 with Jayden and Jonathan scoring

 

[Sydney Posse]

A very tough call and could go either way. I note Vale have started to improve and expect that to continue as the season progresses, but we are playing great stuff at times, and the squad is super confident. I will be very happy with a point and ecstatic if we get a win. Getting an early goal in games like these can be crucial. It's days like this that I miss the most being abroad, I love an old ground in an old area and Vale epitomises that

 

[valefan16]

Interestingly of the six meetings so far this millennium in the league the away side has prevailed 5 of those times... bad omen maybe?

 

[valefan16]

Same team for the third time which is pleasing.

Shows the overall progress in the squad that one of our top players last season Worrall can’t even get on the bench at the moment!

Big test hope we stand up to it and keep the positive vibes and confidence going. We’ve often been let down at the sign of progress though.

 

[valefan16]

Decent battle this, Exeter look a level above anyone we’ve faced so far and we are having to defend well but neither keeper has had a save of note to make. Vale have come closest with a stunning drilled shot almost snapping the bar! Although apparently Pym got a touch.

Exeter are very physical, booting Whitfield a bit and like to go long but have some good technicians when they get down the flanks.

Miller and Pope both have had chances and Exeter have blazed a couple of the bar when well placed.

Tough game this we could do with upping our game though and hopefully we improve second half as has been the general way this season.

 

[valefan16]

Get in!!!!!!! Fully fully deserved!!!!

 

[valefan16]

Moments like that are why we follow these teams! Hammered on the door for the whole half and then a 97th minute equaliser (ironically added due to their time wasting antics). Only down side it went so nuts Hannant got injured in the celebrations!

Deserved point against a very good side which we matched. A million miles from the shit of last season this side.

Onwards we go!

 

[Moomin]

Sounds like a sucker punch. If we were time wasting then we probably shouldn’t moan but the ref played 10 minutes of injury time when only 5 signalled. WTF.

Port Vale had chances so a draw was probably fair although sounds like we had a glorious opportunity to finish it with 5 mins left. Feels like a defeat really but Vale sounds good and I’d have taken a draw beforehand really.

Still that’s 6 unbeaten in all comps for us so onwards we go.

 

[Buxton Vale]

Happy with a point to extend our unbeaten run against decent opposition.

 

[Dave-Vale]

Good game that was.

Exeter are definitely one of the better sides I’ve seen so far this season. That said, they certainly looked a bit more physical than under Tisdale. Thought they were lucky to finish the game with 11 players. Ref was awful. Have a free kick and Booked Manny for winning the ball fairly when he had been clearly fouled moments before. Then didn’t produce a yellow card for a clear foul down our left, then gave a yellow card for exactly the same sort of foul a few minutes later. Absolutely zero consistency in his decisions.

Draw was probably a fair result and I would’ve been gutted had we lost. They had a few decent chances, as did we and I felt the equaliser was coming throughout the second half but thought at any point they could steal another goal and leave with 3 points.

Special mention for their number 7,
Lee Martin, who visibly upset a teenage ball boy with a disgusting, childish “cry baby” action. In fairness he did fist bump him after but only when he realised how disgusting his behaviour had been.

 

[valefan16]

The referee was a bit inconsistent... their lad going through the back of Ben first half is a standard yellow, not given and the elbow on Smith their lad was a lucky boy.

They played the dark arts fairly well with the time wasting and ball boy incident, it’s something we need to get better at as many teams come and do it to us but Aspin banned a lot of it.

Chuffed for Idris, has to wait his chance comes on and scores a last gasp equaliser, although we did our best to almost throw it away afterwards!

I’m pleased with the progress, not many teams will come to Vale Park that are that decent and we’ve matched them today so shows our progress, the level Exeter at is what we need to be working towards for next season once this side is settled and a few tweaks are made in the summer.

Been a decent month for us September, we’ve settled on a best XI got injuries cleared up and look miles from the sides that were so poor are Tranmere and Carlisle.

 

[valefan16]

Conlon was immense today, real find he has turned out be. Smith looked back to his old self too. Dealt with Stockley well proper duel them two had.

 

[darren gregory]

Totally deserved against the best team I've seen this season.
Their right back was class. The elbow was an absolute red card all day.
Ref appalling again, we clearly took a moving ball free kick yet when Exeter won the ball he signalled for a re-take. Bizarre.

Exeter fans who is the absolute weapon in your home top with number 11 on it, some sort of 13 year old cheerleader ?
Embarrassing.
Also why wasn't the Exeter goalie made to change his top ?

Good point overall against a very good side

 

[darren gregory]

Conlon was immense today, real find he has turned out be. Smith looked back to his old self too. Dealt with Stockley well proper duel them two had.

Smith was at fault for the goal !! Ball over the top, found wanting. Monty back, Rawlinson in the middle , Smith dropped .

 

[Moomin]

It’s interesting that we’re now getting noticed for being physical and maybe cynical at times. It’s a real change from Tisdale and his powder puff ways. That said I don’t want us to become a Wycombe either.

Sounds like it wasn’t Lee Martin’s finest hour and glad he made a small amends with the fist pump.

Think Vale will move up the league now. Pope is a decent striker and the spine of your team is decent with Legge, Oyeleke, Whitfield etc. Could be a good shout for the play offs.

I still think we have the makings of a promotion team and it’s nice to still get results without playing the likes of Brown, Holmes, Forte etc so it shows we have some depth.

Onto Stevenage at home now.

 

[Dave-Vale]

It’s interesting that we’re now getting noticed for being physical and maybe cynical at times. It’s a real change from Tisdale and his powder puff ways. That said I don’t want us to become a Wycombe either.

Sounds like it wasn’t Lee Martin’s finest hour and glad he made a small amends with the fist pump.

Think Vale will move up the league now. Pope is a decent striker and the spine of your team is decent with Legge, Oyeleke, Whitfield etc. Could be a good shout for the play offs.

I still think we have the makings of a promotion team and it’s nice to still get results without playing the likes of Brown, Holmes, Forte etc so it shows we have some depth.

Onto Stevenage at home now.

Definitely the most physical Exeter team that I’ve ever seen. Expected you come and play really nice two touch football, but you were very physical and quite direct. Bit of time wasting and play acting, too which is par for the course it seems in this league. Although, when your keeper went down with a head injury I was a bit pissed off with some Vale fans booing and whistling, as he did seem genuinely hurt and didn’t move for quite a while. I think they all felt bad when he got up with a bloody bandage wrapped around his head.

Our problem is that we lack any real depth. The starting 11 today is arguably our best 11. I think we’d have big problems if Manny and Conlon both got injured. We’d probably also struggle at the back if Legge/Rawlinson/Smith got injuries as well. For that reason I can’t see us quite making the play offs unless we were very lucky with injuries or manage to get to Christmas looking good and then adding a bit more quality to our squad.

Our final ball let us down a bit today. We had some great opportunities to put a good ball into the box but failed to beat the first man countless times.

Can’t really remember the last time we scored an injury time equaliser so that was a nice touch.

 

[valefan16]

I don’t know Dave, got the likes of Montano, Joyce, Wozza, Gibbons for example but certain areas need bulking up.

I’d like to see more of Kanu after today, he is buzzing so may be worth a game Tuesday.

What I am pleased about and these videos with our brilliant social media guys are showing a very close knit group desperate to do well for us. That’s something we’ve been crying out for in recent years.

Exeter will go up I’d think, they were better than anyone we played last year too and solid. I’d doubt we will get much tougher tests than that. If you compared them to Newport who are doing well who we played a few weeks back they were absolutely streets ahead.

 

[kieran_vale]

More than credible point against a good opponent, would have taken that before the game if offered it. Good thing is Aspin seems to now know the best team so those random team selections from earlier this season will hopefully be a thing of the past. Got an opportunity to pick up points in next couple of games against MK and Grimsby too but they are the ones we often mess up.

Not for one second thinking we can seriously challenge for a playoff spot. Just think it's too much to turn around in one season from what we were last year. Top half finish then build on it for a push for next year would be satisfactory to me.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Im sorry but where was the time wasting? Where.
A point was fair, but don't get me started on the ref.
Nicey nice got us nowhere last season, being physical got Wycombe promoted. And will probably get Lincoln promoted this year.
But come on, every time your player went down he got up after the foul was given, Including a ridiculous yellow for Tillson.
Did any home fans see a stamp by number 5 on Stockley? Conveniently left out of any of the above reports.

 

[valefan16]

Every throw in or goal kick? Number 7 throwing the ball away when the ball boy chucked him it, the lad in injury time going down for a bit when we had a throw in, your strikers picking the ball up to delay us taking a goal kick multiple times?

Generally our players will get up when fouled as they weren’t time wasting? Surely every foul doesn’t mean you need to leave on a stretcher?

Stockley gave it back (although didn’t see Legge stamp on anyone) but he was all elbows and legs! And the elbow on Smith was shocking! He did one first half too according to some fans although I personally didn’t notice it.

Not sure the issue with the time (lets be honest he played two minutes after the goal which you’d have taken had you scored that last chance)

Minimum of five minutes, there was a substitution in injury time too. The Pym injury was about five minutes on its own without any of the subs or stoppages.

The Tillson yellow was a boot to Whitfield’s face so dangerous play, the one a minute later on him was worse mind and that wasn’t given as a yellow.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Every throw in or goal kick? Number 7 throwing the ball away when the ball boy chucked him it, the lad in injury time going down for a bit when we had a throw in, your strikers picking the ball up to delay us taking a goal kick multiple times?

Generally our players will get up when fouled as they weren’t time wasting? Surely every foul doesn’t mean you need to leave on a stretcher?

Stockley gave it back (although didn’t see Legge stamp on anyone) but he was all elbows and legs! And the elbow on Smith was shocking! He did one first half too according to some fans although I personally didn’t notice it.

Not sure the issue with the time (lets be honest he played two minutes after the goal which you’d have taken had you scored that last chance)

Minimum of five minutes, there was a substitution in injury time too. The Pym injury was about five minutes on its own without any of the subs or stoppages.

The Tillson yellow was a boot to Whitfield’s face so dangerous play, the one a minute later on him was worse mind and that wasn’t given as a yellow.

I have no problem with the amount of injury time shown. It was just the amount added above that.
The substitution was before 90 minutes.
I repeat I did not witness any time wasting. Normally if this occurs the ref indicates to the player he is adding this on. He didn't.
What a surprise no one saw the Legge incident. Straight red for me.

 

[valefan16]

I have no problem with the amount of injury time shown. It was just the amount added above that.
The substitution was before 90 minutes.
I repeat I did not witness any time wasting. Normally if this occurs the ref indicates to the player he is adding this on. He didn't.
What a surprise no one saw the Legge incident. Straight red for me.

It’s a minimum though, your keeper was down for about 4-5 minutes, plus the subs, according the live text your last sub was 91 minutes.

Didn’t see it but I sit whichever end we are attacking, if it was then I’m sure we will see him get a retrospective ban if he did. Evens out the fact Stockley didn’t walk for the elbow on Smith mind.

Referee was inconsistent, but no more or less favourable to either side. Manny got booked for less than the tackle on Whitfield for example, Pope got his usual lack of decisions and the foul we didn’t get on the edge of the box when Legge was taken completely out.

He just lacked consistency to be honest. Had worse in recent months at VP mind.

As for the time wasting I’ve given examples and the ball boy incident with your number 7 has been discussed through the post match thread. Not slating you for doing it as most teams do it, just backfired when we score so late.

Exeter were very physical and direct and were good at it, Lincoln do it successfully so it’s no bad thing.

 

[Randolph Haggerty]

I saw that, legge had a little kick at him whilst he was on the floor.
Had the ref seen he would’ve gone, no doubt.
The foul on pope towards the end looked in the box to me, and regards the injury time, the keeper was down for 6 minutes (I don’t agree with booing injured players btw) plus subs the injury time was about right.
If I were an Exeter fan i’d be unhappy about how they didn’t kill the game off, they could obviously step up a gear and looked a very well organised and tidy outfit.
They’ll be up there this season, but I thought we competed well.
Conlon especially did very well they had done their homework and stuck men on manny and he didn’t have as much influence as usual.
We didn’t really really start to get going until the last 30 minutes it all seemed a bit laboured, but we got a point against a top team.
We’d have lost that 3 nil last year.
Well happy with a draw, which almost felt like a win, mid table is ace, screw you relegation battle.