Exeter City’s League One winless run was extended to six games after a woeful first half cost them at home to Blackpool. Three goals all from defensive errors saw the Tangerines run out comfortable 3-1 winners at St James Park.

After a bright start for the Grecians, they fell behind after 33 minutes – and it was 3-0 by half-time. The first came when Blackpool broke with ease and CJ Hamilton clipped the finish home.

Soon after it was two and following another defensive error. Tom Bloxham this time had the freedom of St James Park to break and he slotted home. The third came in stoppage-time when again Bloxham broke after a City howler, and this time he set to Ashley Fletcher who finished with aplomb.

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Millenic Alli smashed home a late consolation for the Grecians, who rallied in the latter stages, but it was too little, too late. It is now six without a win in the league for Exeter, who slip down to 17^th. Blackpool, with a first win in eight, climbed to 14^th.

Following the late 1-1 draw at Peterborough United on Tuesday night, Gary Caldwell made five changes to his Exeter City side. Jack McMillan returned from suspension, Jake Richards after illness, while Demetri Mitchell and Kevin McDonald were recalled. Pat Jones also made his first start for the Grecians, in what seemed to be a 3-2-3-2 system.

Out went Ryan Woods, Jack Aitchison and Ilmari Niskanen who dropped to the bench, with Ben Purrington and Kamari Doyle not in the 18. New loanee signing Tony Yogane, who joined from Brentford on Thursday, was on the bench.

Blackpool had the first chance of the game from a corner inside the opening minute. It was flicked onto Fletcher at the back post, but from three yards out, he nodded wide. Jones and Richards had early chances for the Grecians which were saved.

With eight minutes gone, only the woodwork kept the score level. Bloxham got the better of Jack Fitzwater, cut inside from the left, and while his shot beat Joe Whitworth’s dive, it came back off the post and bounced to safety. Another chance came when Hamilton whipped in a cross. All Fletcher had to do was get a touch on it and he would have tapped into the empty net, but the pace of the ball just evaded him.

Harry Tyrer in the Blackpool goal made a great save to keep it at 0-0. Mitchell found Josh Magennis on the break, and his first time strike was low and powerful, but the goalkeeper stuck on a leg to deny the City skipper. Mitchell and Alli then came close with shots from the edge of the box as chances were flowing at both ends.

It seemed certain there would be a goal, and on 33 minutes, it came, and the visitors took the lead. Odel Offiah broke and McMillan tried to foul the full-back, but he managed to escape his grasp. A huge chasm of space had opened up as he slipped the ball through to Hamilton. The wide-man burst forward and clipped the ball over Whitworth to make it 1-0 to the Tangerines.

City then suffered another blow when Fitzwater was forced off injured. Woods came on to replace him, with McMillan dropping into the back three, despite natural centre-back Cheick Diabate being on the bench.

And just before half-time, Steve Bruce’s men doubled their lead, and it was a horrendous one for City to concede. It started with the Grecians in a promising position but Alli ran into trouble and eventually lost the ball. Blackpool broke and McDonald had no idea where Bloxham was. He skipped past him, rounded Whitworth and slotted home to make it 2-0.

It was a bad goal to concede. And equally bad was the third that came in stoppage-time. Jones' ball to Ed Francis was awful and seized upon by Bloxham. He had half the pitch to run into and unselfishly squared it to Fletcher, and he fired home to make it 3-0 to the visitors. City were booed off.

Caldwell made two changes at the break. Niskanen and Diabate replaced McDonald and Jones. But Blackpool had the first chance, a cross finding Fletcher, only for the striker to mis-kick the finish.

James Husband had to make a vital interception to cut out an Alli cross. Magennis was then inches away from a Richards teasing cross as City seemed to show some life. City were getting into some promising areas, but the final ball was lacking as Blackpool were dealing comfortably with the threat. Mitchell burst into the box, but could only find the side netting.

Aitchison and Yogane, making his debut, replaced Richards and Joel Colwill just after the hour with Caldwell’s final roll of the dice. Alli hit the post from close range after a Yogane cross, but the offside flag went up to perhaps spare his blushes as he should have scored. Diabate then dragged a strike from 25 yards wide as City were running out of ideas.

Sonny Carey nearly made it four when a stinging drive was palmed over by Whitworth. But with eight minutes to go, City had a glimmer of hope. Aitchison found Alli, and the Irishman from a narrow angle smashed home the finish through the legs of Tyrer to make it 3-1, as he netted a tenth of the season.

Elkan Baggott saw a header cleared off the line, and City broke up the other end. Yogane burst into the penalty area and was clearly hauled down by a Blackpool defender. Somehow referee James Oldham decided it wasn’t a foul, much to the frustration of the Exeter players, as Niskanen and Magennis seemingly were booked for the protests.

Aitchison volleyed wide as City tried to set up a grandstand finale. But ridiculously only four minutes of stoppage-time were added-on, as it finished 3-1 to the visitors.

Exeter City are back in action on Tuesday night when they host Leyton Orient. And they will have to be better to pick up a much-needed win.

Exeter City: Joe Whitworth, Kevin McDonald (Cheick Diabate, 45), Jack Fitzwater (Ryan Woods, 39), Ed Francis, Jack McMillan, Jake Richards (Tony Yogane, 63), Pat Jones (Ilmari Niskanen, 45), Joel Colwill (Jack Aitchison, 63), Demetri Mitchell, Millenic Alli, Josh Magennis

Subs: Shaun MacDonald, Jay Bird

Booking: Niskanen, Magennis