Exeter boss Gary Caldwell hailed an “unbelievable” win after his side triumphed 2-1 away at Northampton despite playing the whole second half with 10 men.

Luke Harris steered the Grecians ahead at Sixfields but Ryan Woods saw red for violent conduct after clashing heads with Jon Guthrie on the stroke of half-time.

Northampton dominated possession in the second half but created little and even though Guthrie did bring them level, Exeter claimed all three points thanks to Will Aimson’s 83rd-minute winner.

“It was another brilliant display of character and team spirit,” said Caldwell. “I thought the way we started the game was excellent.

“We were surprised by their team, they showed us a lot of respect and changed formation and they locked onto our box and tried to stop us playing.

“But when we adjusted, I thought we caused them a lot of problems and we scored during that period and we could have scored more goals.

“The game then became a bit loose just before half-time and the sending off changes everything but this team fights and always finds a way and it was another unbelievable win.

“It’s not the first time we have won with 10 men this season and that’s all about resilience and character.”

On the red card, Caldwell said: “I think it’s really soft. There’s a coming together and he goes down very, very easily and the referee couldn’t wait to get his red card out.”

The defeat drops Northampton out of the top half of League One.

Manager Jon Brady said: “I actually thought we started really well. For 10 or 15 minutes we dominated the game, we stepped onto them and we had most of the ball.

“Exeter haven’t lost away from home since Christmas and they got back into it but we really stepped on the gas and we’ve hit the post and had shots cleared off the line.

“The goalkeeper’s put one onto the bar and another shot hits our player on the chest when it was going in so we should have scored two or three in that period, but we gave away a real sloppy goal for the first one.

“They then have a man sent off and they sit behind the ball and we get it back to 1-1 but did we really test their goal enough? Probably not.

“But then we give another goal away. We go to clear the ball and it hits their player on the foot and goes in. It’s disappointing because of course you want to finish with a win at home but it’s still been a brilliant season.”

Port Vale manager Darren Moore has urged his relegation-threatened side to put their disappointment of surrendering a two-goal lead against Exeter into their next outing.

Ethan Chislett and Baylee Dipepa both got their names on the scoresheet to put the Valiants firmly in charge at half-time, but two goals for Millenic Alli and one each for Zak Jules and Luke Harris earned the Grecians a 4-2 victory.

Moore was appointed Vale manager in February with the aim of beating the drop from League One, but his team are now three points from safety with just three games remaining – starting with the visit of Wycombe on Tuesday.

“It’s about putting all that energy and anger into Tuesday,” he said.

“I think that’s the only way really because ultimately coming against and fighting against each other, that’s not the way.

“It’s a case of sticking together and making sure that we take an opportunity to put the wrongs of the second half – and I only talk about the last 40 minutes here – right on Tuesday.”

Vale’s final two fixtures see them travel to Bolton before playing host to Cambridge on the last day of the season.

“We have to keep going because just when we think that we’ve figured this game out and this industry out, it can just turn its head,” Moore said.

“And that’s the thing, when we all surmise how things are going to go, football has a knack of turning things on its head, which you saw today from the first half to the second half.

“It’s just a crazy game that we work in but, again, we have to apply ourselves really because we know what we have to do on Tuesday.”

Exeter remain in 12th place, on 58 points, despite extending their unbeaten run to eight matches.

Manager Gary Caldwell was delighted with the character shown by his side to turn the game round after the break.

“The less said about the first half, the better,” the Scot said.
“The second half was probably one of our best performances of the season, the way we understood how to win the game. And there was no change, we didn’t change anything tactically.

“We obviously made a couple of personnel changes and made more throughout the second half, and I thought all the finishers were outstanding.

“But second half, the way we attacked – the speed, the physicality – we could have scored more goals. I thought we were outstanding.”

Exeter last suffered defeat in early March and Caldwell was full of praise for his team’s form since then, winning five and drawing three.

“We’ve had options from the bench so when things aren’t quite going to plan, we have people who are ready and able to come on and make an impact on the game,” he said.

“In the first half of the season we didn’t have that often enough for a number of different reasons, but in the second half of the season we have.”

Port Vale remain in the League One relegation zone after surrendering a two-goal lead to lose 4-2 against in-form Exeter.

Goals from Ethan Chislett and Baylee Dipepa put the Valiants firmly in charge at half-time, but two goals for Millenic Alli and one each for Zak Jules and Luke Harris earned the visitors – now unbeaten in eight matches – victory and leaves their opponents three points from safety.

Vale came close to opening the scoring in the 13th minute when Ben Garrity was denied by Viljami Sinisalo from close range after bringing down Chislett’s measured pass over the top.

And the hosts went in front just after the half-hour mark as a cleared corner was volleyed home brilliantly by Chislett from outside the area.

Their advantage was doubled in the 40th minute, with 17-year-old Dipepa cutting in from the right and guiding a left-footed shot past Sinisalo.

Alli nearly pulled a goal back for Exeter within moments of the restart, but his attempt from Yanic Wildschut’s delivery was saved by Connor Ripley.

The striker did find the net, though, in the 57th minute, with his deflected effort looping over Ripley.

Substitute Jules brought the Grecians level 10 minutes later, firing the ball in from Ryan Woods’ corner, and the comeback was complete in the 79th minute as Harris smashed a volley beyond Ripley from Pedro Borges’ lovely flicked pass.

Alli tapped in from Ilmari Niskanen’s cross late on to add extra gloss to the scoreline.

Ten-man Exeter gave their League One survival hopes a huge boost with a hard fought 1-0 win against relegation rivals Burton.

Reece Cole scored the only goal in the 41st minute but City had to play the entire second half with 10 men after Zak Jules was sent off for an incident in the tunnel as the players made their way off at half-time.

Exeter started well and should have been in front inside four minutes, but Luke Harris skied Ilmari Niskanen’s pull-back over the bar.

The deadlock was broken in the 41st minute after a lovely Exeter move. Jack Aitchison played a fine ball to Niskanen and he picked out Cole with a perfect cut-back, and he made no mistake from 12 yards for his fifth goal of the season.

Burton responded well with Deji Oshilaja’s header crashing back off the crossbar, but it took the Brewers 25 minutes of the second half to really get going and when they did, Antwoine Hackford was put in on goal but shot wide when under pressure from Niskanen.

John Brayford crashed a shot against the underside of the crossbar but despite eight minutes added at the end, the Grecians held firm for a deserved win.

Exeter boss Gary Caldwell was delighted after his side secured a 3-0 victory over Shrewsbury to move 10 points clear of the League One relegation zone.

Shrewsbury were dealt a blow in the seventh minute when referee David Rock showed a red card to winger Jordan Shipley for a two-footed challenge on Ryan Woods.

And the Grecians took full advantage with Will Aimson, Luke Harris and Jack Aitchison all scoring before half-time to secure a first win in six games.

Grecians boss Caldwell said: “I was delighted. The red card changed the game, and it actually made it harder in some respects.

“In terms of how deep Shrewsbury then sat in, it could have potentially been a really long night.

“When we created opportunities, we were ruthless with our finishing, and our goals were fantastic.

“I thought, in the second half again, we could be a bit better in our final third play, take a bit more risk, and create more opportunities.

“The size of the game and where we both are in the league, I can’t be happier about what the players did and the result.

“When we went into tight areas and played intricate football in and around the box I thought we played we were very good.

“I just said to the players there is eight games to go they are all massive games and we want to win as many points as we can.”

Shrewsbury are three points worse off than Exeter following their third defeat in four outings.

Boss Paul Hurst was furious with the decision to send off Shipley.

“I can’t say what I really think,” Hurst said.

“I think we may as well stop playing football if that’s a red card.

“I am not saying it’s not a red card for Woods at all – but if anything, he is the one that ends up higher on Shipley.

“When the referee blew up, I thought he gave a free-kick to us. And my gut from the side is that honestly – and admittedly, I was a distance away – but it was Woods who was slightly late on it, and Shipley got there first.

“Then for the red card I was genuinely thinking it was for their player and for it to turn out for Jordan was baffling.

“It spoils the night for everyone and at 10 men we need to give it a go. But like I said they are good in possession and that is the type of team you don’t want to go down to 10 men to.”