Brady relieved after Port Vale notch up first win of season

Port Vale manager Jon Brady admitted to feeling relieved at getting their first win on the board with a 1-0 win at home to Exeter.

George Byers scored the game’s only goal from the penalty spot 20 minutes from time following a foul on Jordan Gabriel, lifting the Valiants off bottom spot in the table.

Brady said: “I feel relieved. Obviously, it’s been tough, but obviously we want to keep moving ahead and keep moving up. And it’s more lessons to learn now, I felt the first-half intensity needed to be better when the ball goes out.

“We need to show that intensity, show that we really want that win and, at half time, we talked to them about that and said ‘look, we want more intensity and for you to be braver on the ball’, and we were.

“In the first half we were on top but we didn’t ask them enough questions. I thought in that half they defended a few moments in their box quite well, we opened them up with some good play but we needed to be braver on the ball and better on the ball, and I thought in the second half we were.

“We just needed that moment and Gab’s got fouled in the box and George put it away.

“They threw caution to the wind and threw the kitchen sink, and I get our mindset then but we stood up to it.”

Exeter manager Matt Taylor was honest about his side’s shortcomings and felt they did not warrant much reward for their performance.

He said: “In the first half there was honesty and endeavour, but no quality on the pitch whatsoever.

“In the second half we lost our way and came out second best far too many times in what was a match-up game of bodies against bodies.

“All of a sudden we became stressed in our defensive play. They’ve still not created, but then obviously it’s caused the mistake.

“We put too much pressure on ourselves with our ball use and they physically dominated most of the pitch, especially in central areas.

“We couldn’t get a handle on that and that’s when you make mistakes. It’s a big mistake and it’s a poor mistake, but we can forgive mistakes. The way that second half panned out is the most disappointed I’ve been so far.

“I have to be honest with them, they have to accept that my opinion on the game is what I saw right in front of me and too many times a white and black shirt came out on top.

“I can’t fault their honesty but the pitch is an absolute carpet and I still can’t really remember the sequence of passes of more than three passes.”