Port Vale 2-3 Southend
Last updated on .From the section Football
Two goals from Doug Loft could not stop Port Vale losing their first league match as Southend sealed victory.
Mark Phillips' header put Southend ahead before Liam Dickinson's 20-yard strike made it 2-0.
Loft hit back when he raced on to Gary Roberts' pass and lifted the ball over the advancing Glenn Morris.
Ryan Leonard's 30-yard shot made it 3-1 and the visitors held on despite Loft's penalty after Dickinson had fouled Gareth Owen.
VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
Port Vale manager Micky Adams told BBC Radio Stoke:
"We never gave ourselves a chance to win the game because we were 2-0 down very, very early.
"The arrogance of the side, particularly in the first half, was that 'all we had to do was turn up today and we'd get a win.
"Whether we did enough to win the game is debatable. I felt we deserved a point but nothing more than that."
