Port Vale have been knocked out of the FA Youth Cup at the quarter-final stage after losing at home 5-2 to a rampant Chelsea on Tuesday night. French teenager Gael Kakuta scored a hat-trick, while Morten Neilsen and Miroslav Stoch added two more.
Vale clawed two second-half goals back, the first a Jonathan Crompton penalty followed by a Danny Glover free-kick.
But Vale coach Andy Porter told BBC Radio Stoke: "I'm disappointed. The players didn't start well."
After beating Nuneaton in the first round, Vale progressed to the quarter-finals by beating Doncaster, Swansea, Bolton and Tottenham.
But the Valiants were forced to make two changes to the side that beat Spurs.
Sean Pike came at left-back for the injured Adam Copeland, while Anthony Malbon made his debut after signing from Derby last week. He came into the midfield to replace Simon Richman, who pulled out through illness.
The attendance for the game was 3,620, which was more than five first-team games at Vale Park this season, and the majority stayed behind to give the youngsters a standing ovation for this season's cup heroics.
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