Defeat for the Valiants at Vale Park
It was bright start to the game for the Valiants as we enjoyed a good deal of early possession and created a massive opportunity in the 13th minute. Ethan Chislett found Ben Garrity in the Grecians’ penalty area with an exceptional diagonal pass, but Viljami Sinisalo denied the midfielder from six yards out.
Just two minutes later, it was Connor Ripley’s turn to be tested for the first time when Ben Purrington latched on to a Ryan Woods free kick, but our number one pushed the ball behind with a diving stop.
Uche Ikpeazu came forward next for Vale on 20 minutes, and the striker displayed great strength to initially hold off his man before turning and driving goalwards, but his shot sailed over the crossbar.
After being on the front foot for the opening half an hour, the Valiants deservedly took the lead on 31 minutes. Exeter could only half-clear a Conor Grant corner to the edge of the box where Chislett awaited and volleyed into the bottom corner emphatically.
With five minutes to go before the break, Vale doubled their lead through Baylee Dipepa. The seventeen-year-old danced his way through the visitors’ right-hand side before cutting onto his left foot and firing a shot which had too much power for Sinisalo to keep out.
In the 57th minute the visitors managed to halve the deficit. Following a corner, the ball ended up at the feet of Millenic Alli, who was rather fortuitous to see his attempt take a heavy deflection which steered it into the corner of Ripley’s net.
With 23 minutes remaining Exeter came close to equalising when the wind caught Jake Richards’ delivery to the back post forcing Ripley to tip the ball over.
From the resulting corner, the Grecians levelled the scoring. Woods whipped the ball into the Vale box and Zak Jules connected with it sending the ball high into the top of the goal.
The Valiants hunted for the deciding goal and in the 77th minute were margins away from one after a goalmouth scramble ensued from a corner, but despite multiple attempts no-one in white could get the vital touch on the ball and the visitors survived.
Despite Vale showing signs of finding a winner, it was the visiting side who snatched the lead on 80 minutes. Substitute Pedro Borges flicked a pass over the top to Luke Harris who slotted home on the volley.
Exeter sealed all three points with one minute of normal time left on a counterattack when Ilmari Niskanen slid the ball across to Alli who made no mistake from close range.
Port Vale | Connor Ripley, Tom Sang, Nathan Smith, Ben Garrity, Ethan Chislett, Uche Ikpeazu (Jensen Weir 62’), Funso Ojo (Gavin Massey 87’), Conor Grant, Alex Iacovitti (James Plant 81’), Baylee Dipepa, Jesse Debrah (Jack Shorrock 81’)
Unused Subs | Jayson Leutwiler, Ryan Loft, Rhys Walters
Exeter City | Viljami Sinisalo, Ben Purrington (Zak Jules 46’), Will Aimson, Ryan Woods, Yanic Wildschut (Vincent Harper 52’ (Pedro Borges 74’)), Ilmari Niskanen, Caleb Watts (Dion Rankine 46’), Luke Harris, Millenic Alli, Cheick Diabete, Jake Richards (Harry Kite 68’)
Unused Subs | Shaun MacDonald, Jack Fitzwater
