Teenage striker Georgia Vaccaro scored her first SJP goal in the 87th minute to seal a fantastic 2-1 victory for Exeter City Women against Gwalia United.
In what is likely to be her final home match in red and white, Sarah Stacey poked City after nine minutes. But a battling Gwalia side, needing a result to preserve their league status, drew level midway through the first half.
That left City with work to do against a resilient Welsh defence after the break, but their patience paid off three minutes from time. Vaccaro beat the offside trap, raced through on goal and smashed home before sliding on her knees in front of more than 1,500 jubilant Grecians to secure a winning end to the 2025/26 season.
Ahead of the final match of the Grecians' league season, Abbie Britton made five changes from the side that lost 2-0 at AFC Wimbledon. All five players who announced they were leaving the team on Friday started, as Abbi Bond returned between the posts, Jaydee Seaman captained the side and Emily Toogood, Beth Ireland and Sarah Stacey were included from the start. Alice Griffiths dropped out of the squad as Britton named only six substitutes on the bench.
First half
It was the visitors who recorded the first effort on target of the match, as an early mixup lead to Bond being called into action with a smart hold from a header.
That seemed to click City into life though, as a flurry of home chances and the opening goal proceeded to follow in the opening 10 minutes. First, Amber Pollock raced down the left and played a one-two with Stacey, who held up the ball well in the box. The winger shot, but her low effort dragged narrowly wide of the post.
Ishbel Zuurmond went even closer next, when she controlled Emily Poole's through ball well on her chest and proceeded to poke the ball beyond the onrushing keeper, only to see the ball trickle wide.
Those chances were just a prequel though to City's opener, which came from a typical Stacey poachers' finish. After an attacking corner was cleared out wide to Poole, she crossed first time into the box. A fumble between the opposition keeper and a defender planted the ball perfectly for the Grecians' number 10, and she poked it home from yards out for 1-0.
That goal bled confidence through City, and they began to play around Gwalia with some fantastic one-touch passing in midfield. One passage of play in the 20th minute resulted in Leah Burridge finding Toogood on the left, mid-way inside the United half, but her low cross evaded Stacey by mere inches.
With a potential relegation on the line though, Gwalia remained a threat and carved out a good opportunity for themselves on the counter-attack five minutes later, but Daisy Ackerman's shot ballooned over the bar and into the Big Bank after she was played in by Tia Asker.
Direct counter-attacking play would give the visitors a route back into the match in the 34th minute, as they netted an equaliser through Asker. Toogood's deep free-kick was picked up easily by the United keeper, who quickly bowled it out to Georgia Walters. She played a defence-splitting long ball from deep, which was hit first time by Asker to lob Bond for 1-1.
That goal dampened City for around 10 minutes until Sophie Gillies had a golden opportunity to restore the Grecians' lead on the stroke of half-time. Good play from Poole on the right got her past two defenders before she laid the ball off to Gillies inside the box, but the striker saw her first-time effort denied by a great save from Benedicte Haaland in goal.
Second half
City came out into the second 45 looking to continue that attacking intent, and Zuurmond threatened early, seeing a fierce shot bend narrowly wide.
St James Park was on its feet early in the second half, as Britton made a double substitution from the bench, withdrawing Beth Ireland and Abbi Bond for possibly the last time as Exeter City players.
Replacement goalkeeper Liv Giles was quickly called into action, gathering a free-kick before watching a Walters lob drift over the bar. She then held another effort on target as Gwalia threatened to turn the game in their favour.
Britton responded with a triple substitution and an attacking reshuffle, and the impact was almost immediate. One of those changes, Vaccaro, created space to cross for Zuurmond, whose effort was saved.
City continued to push and finally found their breakthrough three minutes from time. A clipped pass from Zuurmond sent Vaccaro in behind, and the teenager timed her run perfectly before taking a touch and rifling the ball beyond Haaland.
She wheeled away to celebrate in front of the Big Bank as team-mates from the pitch and bench raced to join her.
There was still time for Burridge to head home from a free-kick, only for the flag to rule it out for offside.
It mattered little, though, as the Grecians closed out the match to take all three points. As one season ends, and perhaps one era too, Vaccaro’s late winner offered a glimpse of what may come next for Exeter City Women.
Up next
There's still two more matches for Abbie Britton's side this season, as they face Plymouth Argyle in a Devon Cup final at Coach Road on Friday, May 8, before returning to St James Park at 6pm on Saturday, May 9, in a special exhibition match against the University of Exeter! You can purchase your ticket for that match by clicking here.
Exeter City Women: Bond (Giles, 53'), Poole (Sandland, 64'), Slocombe, Seaman (C), Toogood (Jackson, 64'), Pollock, Ireland (Baker, 53'), Burridge, Zuurmond, Stacey (Vaccaro, 64'), Gillies.
Substitute not used: Sara.
Goals: Stacey 9', Vaccaro 87'
Attendance: 1566