Port Vale 2 Exeter City 4 - Grecians produce stunning second half comeback for victory

Exeter City came from 2-0 down to complete a stunning comeback and make it eight unbeaten to win 4-2 at Port Vale. Two goals behind at the break, it was a game of two halves as the Grecians were a different outfit in the second half as they picked up all three points.

Ethan Chislett’s deflected strike after a corner was half cleared to the edge of the area put Vale ahead on the half hour after an opening period where neither side really threatened. Baylee Dipepa doubled the lead just before half-time with a powerful strike from distance.

Millenic Alli’s deflected strike halved the deficit early in the second half. And in the 67^th minute, City drew level when a corner swung into the box was met by Zak Jules who rifled home a finish to make it 2-2.

Luke Harris then smashed home a volley late on to complete the comeback and the turnaround in stunning style. Alli then grabbed his second of the afternoon late on to seal the victory and all three points.

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The win took City past last season’s points total with two games to spare, as they stayed 12^th in the League One table with a top 10 finish still possible. The loss was a hammer blow for Port Vale’s bid to avoid relegation as they stay in the bottom four, now three points from safety and with a much worse goal difference, with only two games to go.

Following the 2-2 draw at Leyton Orient on Tuesday night, Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell made six changes to the Grecians starting line-up, taking no risks on any of the players who were injury doubts. In came Cheick Diabate, Ben Purrington, Yanic Wildschut, Harris, Caleb Watts and Alli, with Watts making his first league start, and Alli a first start for City.

Jules and Dion Rankine dropped down to the bench, while there was no Pierce Sweeney (ankle), Tom Carroll, Reece Cole (back) or Jack Aitchison (groin) involved at all with the quartet all nursing minor injuries. Harry Kite and Pedro Borges were among the substitutes.

It was a scrappy start with little in the way of action for either side in the opening 10 minutes. City had the first chance when Alli found Jake Richards, but the 16-year-old fired wide from 25 yards. Vale’s first chance came when Ben Garrity got on the end of a ball over the top, but Vil Sinisalo stood tall and kept the effort out.

Purrington forced a good save out of Conor Ripley when he got on the end of a Ryan Woods free-kick. Harris then had a shot from distance blocked, but having not really threatened, on the half hour, the Valiants took the lead. Chislett’s shot from the edge of the box took a wicked deflection, beat the despairing Sinisalo who was heading the other way, as the ball nestled in the far corner of the net.

Ten minutes later, Vale doubled their lead. Dipepa went on a mazy run, beat two City defenders, and then let fly from the distance. The shot bounced awkwardly in front of Sinisalo and beat his dive to make it 2-0 to the hosts, with the 17-year-old celebrating his third goal for the club.

Caldwell made a double change at the break, with Purrington and Watts, both of whom were on bookings, taken off, with Jules and Rankine replacing them. Harris was perhaps lucky to avoid a red card after a rash challenge on Chislett on moments into the second half, instead only seeing a yellow card.

Harper then replaced Wildschut who seemed to have picked up a knock – and soon after, in the 57^th minute, City halved the deficit. Alli cut in from the left hand side, took aim with his right foot, and the shot took a wicked deflection, looped up into the air, and gave Ripley no chance. It was a goal from nothing but made it 2-1.

Suddenly City had something to work with, and Harper nearly levelled up moments later, but his deflected strike went just wide. From the resulting corner, Richards nearly caught Ripley napping, but he just managed to tip it over. But from that corner, City drew level, and came from 2-0 down for the second game running. The corner was whipped into the box by Ryan Woods and from 12 yards out, Jules smashed home the finish for his second of the season.

Kite replaced Richards with Caldwell’s next change, before Harper, who picked up an injury, was replaced by Borges in City’s final change, the teenager featuring for the first time in the league since September. Nathan Smith came close to restoring Darren Moore’s men’s lead when he rose highest from a corner, but City scrambled the ball away.

And with 10 minutes to go, the comeback was complete. Ilmari Niskane and Borges combined down the right, the younger flicked the ball into the box, and Fulham loanee Harris from the penalty spot smashed the ball on the volley into the roof of the net. It was a third goal of the season for the teenager, and was an unstoppable finish.

Suddenly Vale had to roll the dice to try and rescue anything from a game they were cruising and in control of. But it could have been four when Borges slid Alli in, but his finish went high, wide and handsome. With the next move though, it was four. Niskanen robbed a defender, he played in the Irishman, and he slotted home his second of the game and third of the week to seal victory.

Seven minutes of stoppage-time were added-on, and in the first of them, Harris rattled the crossbar. It mattered not though as City had done enough to make it a famous win. Exeter City are back in action next Saturday when they travel to Northampton Town. A win over the Cobblers, and City will finish in the top half

Exeter City: Vil Sinisalo, Will Aimson, Cheick Diabate, Ben Purrington (Zak Jules, 45), Ilmari Niskanen, Ryan Woods, Jake Richards (Harry Kite 67), Yanic Wildschut (Vincent Harper, 51, Pedro Borges, 75), Caleb Watts (Dion Rankine, 45), Luke Harris, Millenic Alli.

Subs: Shaun McDonald, Jack Fitzwater

Booking: Alli. Watts, Purrington, Harris

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