Exeter v Port Vale preview
Last Updated: October 5, 2012 3:00pm
Sercombe: Will undergo late fitness test
Team news ahead of Saturday's League Two clash between Exeter and Port Vale at St James Park.
Exeter will hand a late fitness test to Liam Sercombe.
The 22-year-old midfielder is rated as 50/50 by boss Paul Tisdale as he nears a return from an ankle injury.
Sercombe picked up the injury in the 1-1 draw with York and has missed the last four matches, but the Grecians hope to have him available to bolster their depleted midfield.
Tisdale is already without Scot Bennett, who is out with a leg injury, while Matt Oakley and Tommy Doherty are nursing knocks picked up during Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Barnet.
Striker Alan Gow missed the game with an ankle injury but could also return to contention as Exeter look to leapfrog second-placed Vale in the League Two table.
Chris Neal will continue in goal for Port Vale.
Neal, at fault for Dagenham's goal in the lacklustre 1-1 home draw in midweek, took a blow to the face earlier in that game in a challenge with visiting striker Sam Williams that boss Micky Adams feels should have been punished by more than just a yellow card.
"It was quite clearly a sending-off offence, without a shadow of a doubt," Adams told the club's official website. "It was a two-footed challenge that caught Chris in the face and when you see his cheekbone, which has swollen up quite a bit over the past two days, it is not a good-looking injury.
"He will be okay for Saturday, there is no doubt at all about that. He is disappointed with the goal he conceded but he is a strong character and it won't affect him."
Adams made one change against Dagenham. Sam Morsy was brought back into central midfield and skipper Doug Loft reverted to left-back, meaning no place for Rob Taylor who had made his first start of the season at Bradford last weekend.
Taylor, along with Adam Yates, Gareth Owen, Chris Shuker, Ben Williamson and Ryan Lloyd are options for Adams should the Vale boss wish to make any changes to his starting XI.
Matches
-
npower League 2
Table
npower League 2
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gillingham | 46 | 83 |
| 2 | Rotherham United | 46 | 79 |
| 3 | Port Vale | 46 | 78 |
| 4 | Burton Albion | 46 | 76 |
| 5 | Cheltenham Town | 46 | 75 |
| 6 | Northampton Town | 46 | 73 |
| 7 | Bradford City | 46 | 69 |
| 8 | Chesterfield | 46 | 67 |
| 9 | Oxford United | 46 | 65 |
| 10 | Exeter City | 46 | 64 |
| 11 | Southend United | 46 | 61 |
| 12 | Rochdale | 46 | 61 |
| 13 | Fleetwood Town | 46 | 60 |
| 14 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 60 |
| 15 | Wycombe Wanderers | 46 | 60 |
| 16 | Morecambe | 46 | 58 |
| 17 | York City | 46 | 55 |
| 18 | Accrington Stanley | 46 | 54 |
| 19 | Torquay United | 46 | 53 |
| 20 | AFC Wimbledon | 46 | 53 |
| 21 | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 52 |
| 22 | Dagenham & Redbridge | 46 | 51 |
| 23 | Barnet | 46 | 51 |
| 24 | Aldershot Town | 46 | 48 |
