REPORT: Notts County 2 Exeter City 2

Exeter City conceded two injury-time goals as they were denied victory away at Notts County.

City, who had defended superbly throughout the 90 minutes, looked comfortable as Ryan Harley tapped home to make it 2-0 with a minute to go. 

However, former Grecian Richard Duffy glanced a header home to make it 2-1 and then a ball into the City box from Jorge Grant caused confusion and deflected off Jordan Moore-Taylor on its way into the back of the net.

City manager Paul Tisdale named an unchanged side from the team that lost 3-0 away to Plymouth Argyle last time out. The only change was on the bench where Joel Grant replaced Matt Oakley.

Kevin Nolan made one change to the County starting XI as former Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi dropped to the bench at the expense of ex-Leeds United and England forward Alan Smith.

The Magpies started the game brightly with Stead shooting into the side netting, but City started to get on top towards the 10-minute mark with Lloyd James sending a free-kick just past Adam Collin’s post. He then tested the County keeper with another similar effort from distance.

Mark Yeates then almost sliced the ball into his own net from a Craig Woodman corner before the City full-back sent another ball into the area that County struggled to deal with.

However, it was also Christy Pym’s accurate long ball up field that were causing the hosts problems and when the young shot stopper launched a ball toward the edge of the County area on 32 minutes the home defenders stood and watched as the ball bounce through to Wheeler.

Wheeler, who had scored eight in eight going into the match, was through on goal and side-footed past Collin.

County responded by creating a number of half chances, without testing Pym, before the visitors ended the half on top with Watkins and Taylor both having close-range shots blocked.

County started the second half well with Michael O’Connor testing Pym with a long distance shot and substitute Ameobi forcing another good save out of the City shot stopper.

However, Harley and Watkins both fired efforts that whistle just past the post before Duffy hit a shot that cannoned off the crossbar. The rebound fell kindly for Ameobi but he couldn’t get a touch on the ball to guide it into an unguarded net.

The pressure then grew on City as Jake Taylor was shown a second yellow card for a sliding challenge on Elliot Hewitt, but Harley looked to have sealed the game when he followed up on Liam McAlinden’s shot to tap home.

However, the drama wasn’t finshed there as Duffy glanced home in the second minute of injury-time and then Jorge Grant’s low cross deflected off Moore-Taylor and into the back of the net.