Port Vale 0-1 Exeter City

Jordan Storey's goal was his first in professional football

Exeter City gave their League Two promotion hopes a huge boost as they hung on at Port Vale to claim a first win in four matches and climb to sixth.

Relegation-threatened Vale were dominant and had the better chances but visiting defender Jordan Storey's first-half strike proved enough.

Vale were first to go close when Danny Pugh's low shot flew just wide.

But Storey was left alone on the edge of the six-yard box to gratefully blast home a left-foot volley.

Vale twice more went close before the break when Cristian Montano was just off target and Tyrone Barnett's header drew a great save from City keeper Christy Pym.

They were even more of a threat in the second half, twice going close in separate scrambles when first Jake Taylor, and then Hiram Boateng, headed off the line for Exeter.

City also somehow survived a triple escape when Pym saved Barnett's header, the rebound just eluded Kyle Howkins and sub Ben Whitfield's angled shot was also saved by the City keeper.

But luckless Vale drop a place below local rivals Crewe to 20th, still seven points clear of danger with eight games left, while Exeter are just three points off an automatic promotion place.