First win can give us confidence - Vale boss Brady

Port Vale boss Jon Brady says that finally claiming a first win of the season will give his side much-needed confidence for Saturday's trip to high-flying Walsall.

George Byers' second-half penalty to beat Exeter City earned Vale their first home victory in six attempts in Burslem going back to 7 April.

More importantly, the win lifted Vale off the foot of League Two, out of the relegation zone and within five points of this Saturday's lunchtime hosts.

Walsall are still unbeaten in six league games - but four of them have been draws, the past three of them on the spin.

And Brady is grateful his side can now head to the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium on the back of the psychological boost of not only a win but an improved performance.

"It's so important," Brady told BBC Radio Stoke. "Every single game we try to go and win - but hopefully this gives us a lot more confidence."

The key thing for Brady now could be the formation he chooses to deploy by the side of the M6, having been successful with a three-man defence against Exeter, using Jordan Gabriel and Jaheim Headley as wing-backs.

"I've tried a certain way of playing," he added. "But sometimes the more you look at it, you want to suit the characteristics of what you've got.

"In the transfer window we talked about wingers coming in. But, as much as I want to play a back four and attack by playing with wingers, a back three suits this football club at times. I feel that shape works for us a lot more.

"We were a little bit nervy once we went 1-0 up. But this is stuff we can build on."