It was a case of two points dropped for Exeter City at Gresty Road as we were held to a 1-1 draw by Crewe Alexandra.
The Grecians took an early lead when Dean Moxey converted an Archie Collins cross to the back post after only two minutes but, following a host of missed first half chances, Crewe Alexandra got back into the game second half and equalised through substitute Chuma Anene.
Manager Matt Taylor named an unchanged side for the third league game in succession, while Crewe made two changes bringing in Owen Dale and Olly Lancashire for Perry Ng and Dan Powell.
Both sides went into the game with confidence having started the season well. City, having lost just one of their 11 games going into the match sat top of the table but level on points with Crewe at the summit.
However, it was the Grecians who looked by far the better side in the first half having taken an early lead. The goal came from a second-minute corner that was played to Archie Collins to cross into the box where Dean Moxey volleyed home at the back post.
That set up a good attacking first half performance from the Grecians, with only the finishing touch missing. They had a good chance to double their lead on 19 minutes when Lee Martin latched onto a Nicky Law ball in the box but his closed-range shot was blocked by Will Jaaskelainen.
Four minutes later and another guilt-edged opportunity went begging as Collins' volley from the edge of the box was blocked by a defender and fell at the feet of Ryan Bowman who fired over from eight yards out.
Moments later Lee Martin had a penalty appeal turned down before then curling a shot goalwards to bring another good stop out of Jaaskelainen.
The chances kept coming for City though as Tom Parkes headed just wide from a Collins cross and then Bowman hit an effort straight at the Crewe keeper from a Lee Martin pass.
So it was with great frustration that Grecians didn’t go into the break more than a goal to the good, but City looked to be continuing their good form into the second half when Jack Sparkes let fly from 25 yards to bring another save out of the Crewe shot stopper.
However, as the game approached the later stages City began to get sloppy in possession and invite pressure onto their goal. Lewis Ward produced a good stop to deny Harry Pickering just after the hour mark and then blocked another effort from Tom Lowery from close-range.
So, with 15 minutes left, when another ball went into the box City’s luck ran out as Dean Moxey’s headed clearance ricocheted into the path of Chuma Anene and he found the bottom corner to give the hosts a share of the spoils.
Crewe Alexandra: Jaaskelainen, Pickering, Wintle, Lancashire, Nolan, Jones (Green, 70), Porter (Anene, 70), Kirk, Hunt, Lowery, Dale (Powell, 63). Subs not used: Richards, Ainley, Finney, Johnson
Booked: Hunt, Dale, Kirk
Exeter City: Ward, Sweeney, Parkes, Moxey, Williams, Taylor, Collins, Sparkes (A Martin, 74), Law, L Martin (Atangana, 89), Bowman (Fisher, 81). Subs not used: Maxted, Jay, Richardson, Seymour.
Booked: Sparkes
Attendance: 5,131 (368 away)