📝 Match Preview: Exeter City v Port Vale

A look at Tuesday evening's match with Port Vale

16 September 2019

Exeter City are quickly back in action as they welcome Port Vale to St James Park on Tuesday evening in a 7.45pm kick-off.

The Grecians go into the match following a 2-2 draw with Leyton Orient last Saturday, and they’ll be aiming to pick up a further three points to maintain top spot in the league table.

Ahead of the match, manager Matt Taylor said: “As tired as the players are on a hot day (on Saturday), I don’t want any excuses, I don’t want it to be talked about as a long week or a physically demanding week, we’ve got to fly into Tuesday. No disrespect to Port Vale, but it’s a home game and we have to be on the front foot.”

THE CONTEXT

The Grecians will be looking to further their unbeaten run in the 2019/20 season, but they come up against a Vale side who come into the match following a 1-0 win at home to Plymouth Argyle. Vale come into the match in 10th place having picked up 12 points so far.

PORT VALE’S VIEW

Following the weekend win over Argyle, Vale manager John Askey said: “It was a really good team performance, and every one of them should be proud of the effort they put in today.

“We know we’ve got a tough group of games, but it usually brings the best out of us.

“We’ve got to take each game as they come and that’ll give us confidence going into the Exeter game, we can enjoy that, but everything now is geared towards playing Exeter.”

LAST TIME WE MET

The sides last met towards the end of last season when the Grecians welcomed Vale to St James Park as they picked up a 2-0 win over the Valiants.

Nicky Law netted the first goal of the game early before Hiram Boateng scored a wonderful goal to double City’s lead and confirm the points for Matt Taylor’s men.

TICKET NEWS

The Grecians have kicked-off the 2019/20 season in style, sitting top of the table and are unbeaten at St James Park with two wins and two draws.

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Tickets are on sale at advance prices until 5pm in person and midnight online, on Monday, September 16 so you can save time and money, and pick your seat in advance.

Junior Grecians tickets

Junior Grecians members get access to free match tickets when purchased alongside a paying adult. There are two family friendly areas available at St James Park, section E in the IP Office Main Stand and a section of the Thatchers Big Bank which is identified by the white barriers). Click here to find out more.

MATCH SPONSORS

Haines Watts will be sponsoring Tuesday evening’s match and Michelmores will be match ball sponsors as the Grecians take on Port Vale. We would like to thank our sponsors for their continued support and wish them a pleasant evening at St James Park.

MATCH DAY COVERAGE

The match is streaming LIVE in the UK and overseas for just £10, click here to purchase a match pass!

For those who are unable to make the match, full match coverage will be available on the club Twitter and Facebook accounts. Interviews with Matt Taylor and a player will follow after full time, and highlights and a SJP 360 version of the match will be avaiable the following day.

Exeter City on social media

MATCH DAY PROGRAMME

Our award-winning match day programme returns on Tuesday evening in a full 92-page edition, and as usual we have a host of content for supporters of all ages. Inside we’ll have a feature interview with Jack Sparkes who discusses breaking into the City team and how he wants to continue his progression. We’ll also have our regular City and Me feature. Junior Grecians can take part in our quizzes and local journalists Matt Bamsey and Alan Richardson cast their eyes over the Grecians and the wider footballing world.

MASCOTS

You can read the mascot profiles in the match day programme which you can pick up in the stadium for £3.00 on the day. For mascot booking or information, please contact andy.gillard@ecfc.co.uk.

CLUB SHOP

The club shop will be open from 08:30am and closes once supporters have left SJP, giving you the opportunity to make some purchases ahead of the match including the new third kit! There is a great range for all City supporters including training wear, mugs, scarves and a selection of pocked money items for kids.

MATCH DAY ACTIVITIES

Join the Guard of Honour

Want to be on the pitch as the players enter SJP? Then be part of the flag waving, Guard of Honour! This Tuesday evening lucky children will be chosen from around the ground!

After assembling, the Guard of Honour (and parents) move to the far side of ground to get some practice in waving their flags, which also presents an opportunity for Grecian to pose for photographs. When the players finish their warm up the Guard of Honour go on their 'lap of honour' in front of the stands to the players’ tunnel. After they have been on the field and welcomed the teams and officials onto the pitch they receive their “gift” (normally a packet of sweets) and certificates of participation.

If your son, daughter or grandchild has not been involved in the Guard of Honour, please email customerservices@exetercityfc.co.uk.

Junior Grecians Lounge

The Junior Grecians are the Official Junior Supporters Club of Exeter City FC.

The room provides a safe comfortable environment for families to enjoy pre-match entertainment, such as a large screen TVs, Playstation consoles and Table Football, as well as the option to enjoy refreshments from the Zone’s very own kiosk. For evening games, the zone will open from 5:30pm to Junior Grecian members, and from 6:30pm for other supporters.

A feature wall displaying a packed Big Bank also provides a photo-sharing opportunity using the #jgzone hashtag. There are activities and competitions to suit all junior age groups, from FIFA19 and Table Football tournaments to free Activity Packs for younger children.

The Zone also features a VIP party area and there are several party packages available to book throughout the season.

So, if you are visiting St James Park on a matchday with children, be sure to pop into the family zone!

New for this season, is the Family Zone 2 in the Stagecoach Adam Stansfield Stand, the astroturfed area includes a photo wall opportunity, table football, and beanbags where children can gather to play games and relax before kick-off.

Match day timetable

Familiarise yourself with some of the key timings for the 7:45pm kick-off.

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🎟 PLACE YOUR TRUST IN CITY 🎟

Season tickets for the 20/21 campaign are now on sale and play a huge part in enabling your club remains financially stable and well prepared

By purchasing a season ticket in the super saver period, you will not only make huge and the best savings on admission for the campaign, but enable the club to operate fully whilst we have a period of no matches and minimal income. Find out more by clicking here.

Match Reports

📝 Match report: City 2 Port Vale 0

Grecians collect three points with goals from Ryan Bowman and Lee Martin

17 September 2019

Two goals in the last 10 minutes gave Exeter City a deserved three points with a 2-0 win over Port Vale at St James Park.

Grecians boss Matt Taylor made three changes to the side that was held to a 2-2 draw against Leyton Orient on Saturday; Ben Seymour was rewarded with a start alongside Tom Parkes and Jayden Richardson in a rotation that saw Aaron Martin, Randell Williams and Lee Martin all drop to the bench.

Port Vale created the first opening of the game after five minutes, with Cristan Montano delivering a powerfully-hit cross to the back post to find Richie Bennett, but his effort on the volley was a comfortable save for Lewis Ward in the City goal.

In a tight opening exchange, Jack Sparkes created City’s best chance after 18 minutes – a mazy run from the left channel culminated in a shot from the edge of the box that Scott Brown got a solid hand to just as it looked bound for the top corner.

City had the upper hand, but struggled to create clear chances with Ben Seymour’s drive after 25 minutes rolled agonisingly wide of the left-hand post. Jayden Richardson also found some joy with incisive runs down the right-wing, but Vale’s defence style stood stern.

Even when a breakthrough looked likely, it wasn’t forthcoming – Sparkes’ corner was met powerfully at the back post by Nicky Law, whose header was well saved by Brown, before Tom Parkes’ effort on the rebound was also saved.

Law would see another effort go awry as a shot from outside the box, though struck cleanly, flew over Brown’s goal five minutes before the interval, as the sides went in goalless.

City started the second half brightly, with Dean Moxey’s cross flashing across the face of goal just two minutes into the second-half, but ultimately to no avail.

Set pieces were proving fruitful for the Grecians as they pushed for the opener – Law’s corner in the 56th-minute caused confusion in the Vale box and gave Pierce Sweeney the chance to pull the trigger, but his shot was blocked.

It was from another corner that City were inches away from opening the scoring, as Law’s delivery was met by Bowman – the striker was only able to divert the ball onto the post, however, before the ensuing melee resulted in Sweeney’s shot fly high and wide.

The visitors responded in kind; Cristian Montano struck a fierce shot from the left-wing that Ward saved well ten minutes after the hour mark, but Vale were unable to sustain a period of prolonged possession and City were soon able to clear their lines.

Nicky Law was at the heart of everything positive that City did, and an innovative touch on the inside right channel set up Randell Williams to shoot, but his effort was blocked well by the Vale defence. A mix-up at the back then nearly allowed Ryan Bowman in to score, but Brown saved well with his legs and Lee Martin was unable to convert the loose ball.

But with ten minutes to go, City finally got what they deserved. Substitute Lee Martin received the ball from Williams, and fired a shot at goal that Brown didn’t pick up clearly, and the Vale goalkeeper palmed the ball upwards – but only towards the head of Ryan Bowman, who made no mistake from close range.

Exeter nearly doubled their lead in the following minutes, again threatening from a corner, as Randell Williams’ header was saved sharply by Brown, but the Grecians were not to be denied – Williams again involved, delivering a superb cross down the right-hand side that Lee Martin met with a deft finish over Brown.

It was the last meaningful act of an entertaining game, and a fruitful one for City, who were ultimately rewarded for a strong performance.

Exeter City: Ward, Sweeney, Law, Bowman, Parkes, Richardson (Williams 63), Moxey, Sparkes (A Martin 87), Taylor ©, Collins, Seymour (L Martin 63). Unused substitutes: Maxted, Woodman, Jay, Fisher.

Port Vale: Brown, Crookes, Joyce ©, Legge, Kennedy, Worrall, Montano, Smith, Taylor (Cullen 84), Browne (Lloyd 66), Bennett (Pope 78). Unused substitutes: Maddison, Pugh, Burgess, Brisley.

Booked: Smith, Taylor, Crookes, Worrall

Attendance: 3, 765 (143 away)

Standings