The suspension of skipper Hasney Aljofree forced Town manager Maurice Malpas's hand, with Jamie Vincent moved to the centre of defence to cover. Lee Peacock continued up front alongside Simon Cox as Swindon looked for the final points necessary to ensure League One survival.
With Port Vale's relegation confirmed last weekend Lee Sinnott started a defensive clear-out during the week, telling Keith Lowe, Charlie O'Loughlin, Justin Miller and Mark McGregor that their futures were no longer at Vale Park. An ankle injury ruled out fellow defender Krystian Pearce, forcing Lowe on to the bench. Kyle Perry missed out through a thigh strain, Luke Rodgers failed to overcome an ankle injury while a knee injury suffered by Joe Anyon gave deputy Chris Martin the goalkeeper's jersey.
In an extraordinary first half, one minute in, a free-kick from Port Vale left-back Adam Eckersley caused Peter Brezovan to block as three Vale men appeared unmarked in the box, but a linesman's flag was up, then an Anthony McNamee cross to the far post at the other end was driven wide by Jon Paul McGovern. Simon Cox shot well wide after ten minutes and a minute later McGovern and Cox combined again but this time Cox's shot was deflected for a corner.
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Lee Peacock tried a spectacular overhead kick from a Michael Timlin cross but the attempt was palmed around the post by Vale goalkeeper Martin. The visitors were ready to commit men forward, but the frailty of their defence threatened to be exposed by Town's strike force, and after 16 minutes Swindon struck gold.
A long ball from the centre of Town's defence was well won by Peacock. He turned his marker on the edge of the penalty area with ease and rifled home past Martin to give the home team the advantage.
Two minutes later, Peacock almost capitalised on a slip by Eckersley, then Timlin just failed to connect with a McGovern cross. Town's fluidity up front was causing Vale's back four all sorts of problems on the slippery pitch and just five minutes later the relegated side's problems worsened.
Peacock again exploited a slip, this one from George Pilkington, and supplied the rushing McNamee on the left. His pinpoint cross was met by Craig Easton who crashed home an unstoppable volley to give Town a two-goal cushion.
A penalty appeal was turned down when Peacock appeared to be obstructed in the six yard box, then Jerel Ifil's header drifted wide as Town looked capable of running riot. A rare Vale effort from Luke Prosser was blocked by Miguel Comminges on 26 minutes, then McNamee brought appreciative applause form the County Ground crowd, turning Dave Mulligan inside out before chipping the ball over the Vale man and driving a right footed shot wide of the far post.
Then with 12 minutes of the half remaining, Swindon claimed goal number three.
Jack Smith charged down a McGovern ball on the edge of the box with a suspicion of hand ball, but referee Beeby failed to whistle and Smith ran on to strike a powerful shot past Martin.
McNamee was whipping in cross after cross and causing panic in the Port Vale penalty area, and as the half entered two minutes of added time Peacock again fed the wide man.
He outpaced Mulligan down the left, tricked his way into the box and slid the ball under Martin for his first goal in a Swindon shirt and Town's fourth of the match.
The crowd hardly had time to draw breath.
Vale kicked off and sent the ball into Town territory, leaving a huge space between defence and attack for Swindon to run into. Promptly charging down the right, McGovern and Smith were involved as the visitors' defence backed off, but the move appeared to be about to break down before Timlin collected a loose ball on the edge of the penalty box to fire past the shell shocked Martin and bring the first half to a breathless close.
Halftime Swindon Town 5 Port Vale 0
After a half like that, Town ran out for the second period with new standards to meet, and with the outcome of both the match and season now secure there was time to relax and turn on the style.
McGovern almost released Peacock but a flag intervened, the Cox outpaced two defenders before being disposessed as he was about to square the ball towards Peacock.
Finally Joe Cardle drove straight at Brezovan to remind Town there was work to do to keep a clean sheet, then Timlin's 30 yard free kick almost embarrassed Martin again on 57 minutes with the Town End behind chanting We want six'.
A great interchange involving McGovern, Easton and Cox, which moved the ball from the centre line to the six-yard box ended when a desperate challenge stopped him finding Peacock. With over an hour gone both managers felt the result was in little doubt and a succession of substitutions changed the shape of the game.
Simon Richmond's drive was deflected away for a Vale corner, then Ben Joyce, an introduction for Cox, latched onto a Comminges ball to force Martin to scramble away for a corner at the other end.
With ten minutes to go Town now had a completely new forward line of Kaid Mohamed, Joyce and ex-Vale man Billy Paynter, and the last chance of the match appeared to fall to Joyce as he blasted high and wide after Paynter's ball had released the youth team striker. But, just as in the first half, the second had a final twist.
With the second minute of added time all but up, Joyce beat the Port Vale offside trap, ran at Martin and left the keeper with no chance to complete a six goal rout with a goal on his League debut.
The resounding defeat of Vale ended a five match unbeaten run for the relegated club and the three points secured Swindon's League One place for next season, but the majority of the large crowd went home as pleased with the manner of victory as relieved that the drop zone had been irrefutably dismissed.
Fulltime Swindon Town 6 Port Vale 0
Swindon Town: Peter Brezovan, Jack Smith, Jerel Ifil, Jamie Vincent, Miguel Comminges, Jon-Paul McGovern, Craig Easton (capt), Michael Timlin, Anthony McNamee (Mohamed 79), Lee Peacock (Paynter 73), Simon Cox (Joyce 67). Subs: Phil Smith, Andrew Nicholas, Billy Paynter, Kaid Mohamed, Ben Joyce.
Port Vale: Chris Martin, Dave Mulligan (Slater HT), George Pilkington (Lowe HT), Luke Prosser, Adam Eckersley (y66), Simon Richman, David Howland, Paul Harsley (capt), Joe Cardle, Danny Whitaker (Davidson 70), Marc Richards. Subs: Keith Lowe, Ross Davidson, Danny Glover, James Lawrie, Chris Slater.
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