Exeter pay penalty as Port Vale claim first victory of the season

George Byers’ penalty gave Port Vale their first win of the season as they beat Exeter 1-0.

Byers coolly converted 20 minutes from time after Luca Woodhouse fouled Jordan Gabriel in the box.

With both sides short on goals this season, few chances were created in a goalless first half.

Exeter’s Reece Cole went close with a curled effort and Vale’s Jaheim Headley drilled one narrowly wide.

A Vale break led to a Kyle Dempsey corner that cleared the crowd in the box only to cannon off the foot of the back post.

In the second half, Vale went close, with Gabriel heading onto the roof of the net and Ben Waine seeing his header saved. Dempsey also forced an excellent save from City keeper Jack Bycroft.

With 70 minutes gone, Gabriel went down under Woodhouse’s challenge and fourth official Aaron Jackson – who had taken over from referee Leigh Doughty at half time – awarded the penalty, which Byers chipped down the middle.

Cole had a late chance to equalise but sent his free kick over the bar.