Fine goals from Ethan Chislett and Baylee Dipepa capped a good first-half performance from the Valiants.
Vale put the visitors under pressure right from the start. On ten minutes, a fantastic ball from Chislett found Ben Garrity in the box but the goalkeeper pulled off a good close-range save. Exeter countered with a free-kick which saw a close-range effort from Purrington well saved by Connor Ripley.
There was a long-range effort from Ikpeazu which went over before the Valiants took the lead on 31 minutes. A corner was cleared as far as Ethan Chislett and he volleyed home confidently to give Vale the lead.
It got even better eight minutes when Baylee Dipepa weaved in from the right wing and his shot went over the Exeter keeper, who should have done better. No Vale fans cared as the side doubled their lead with the teenager’s third goal of his fledgling Vale career.
It had been a commanding performance by Vale. Conor Grant had arguably had his best game in a Vale shirt. Ben Garrity was the player of the half with his all-action play while the likes of Tom Sang, Ethan Chislett, Uche Ikpeazu, Alex Iacovitti and Funso Ojo had all impressed as well.
Half-time: Port Vale 2-0 Exeter City
Second-half
It was a completely different performance in the second-half as an absolutely shocking Vale performance saw the visitors dominate and score four times to turn the game completely on its head.
Exeter had started strongly with Wildchut forcing Ripley into a good close-range save. As they built up pressure, a goal looked inevitable and it came when a deflected shot by Millenic Alli went over Ripley.
Vale were creating nothing and it prompted Darren Moore to replace the tiring Ikpeazu with Jenson Weir. However, it didn’t stop the flow of the game with Exeter equalising from a flick by former Vale loanee Zak Jules on 67 minutes.
The home side finally created a little pressure in the final fifteen minutes but to no avail as they conceded a poor third goal. The Vale defence failed to clear a through ball and Luke Harris slotted home on 79 minutes.
It got even worse in the closing minutes as Sang missed a clearance and Niskanen ran clear, He centered for Millenic Alli to make it four to the visitors on 89 minutes. It could have been worse as another Exeter effort clipped the bar.
It was a simply appalling second-half display by the Valiants and one that will probably see them playing League Two football next season.
