We've got to go back to basics - Vale boss Brady

Port Vale boss Jon Brady has called on his struggling side to toughen up ahead of their home match with Wimbledon on Tuesday.

Brady was unhappy with his side's physicality in Saturday's home defeat by Exeter, with Mendes Gomes' first-half opener setting the Grecians on their way to a 3-1 win.

The Valiants go into Tuesday's game seven points adrift at the bottom of League One and a concerning 12 points from safety after a 15th defeat in 25 league games this season.

"We've got to strip it right back and go back to basics. At the moment those non-negotiables, those basics, aren't happening," he told BBC Radio Stoke.

"The most frustrating thing is you're on top of the game for the first 20 minutes, you've got the territory, you've got the momentum, we stepped on to them.

"If you step on to them you've got to track your runners and we don't track Mendes [Gomes] and that's hugely frustrating.

"Then the first five minutes of the second half, you've got to make sure that you're strong and solid, and then a really soft challenge on the edge of the box allows them to have a shot and they score from it and the game's done again."

Since winning his first three games in charge, the Australian has overseen back-to-back league defeats.

Brady felt the foul count on Saturday underlined a lack of aggression, with his side penalised just four times compared to 17 fouls from Exeter.

"We need to find the solutions with those players who are willing to win their battles and we're going to make sure we get that right for Tuesday," he said.

"You can show them, which we have done, you can talk to them, which we have done, and then it's about them delivering it and if you don't deliver that consistently then you can't play for this football club. That's simple.

"So we've got to get the selection process right, maybe even the shape needs to change to get that right, to get those individuals in that will win their battles."