Two late Bolton goals overturned Demetri Mitchell's opener, as the visitors stole all three points late on at St James Park.
After a first half where Bolton could claim to have been on top, City took the lead in direct fashion 10 minutes after the break. Whitworth's long goal-kick bounced through everyone before Mitchell met it on the edge of Bolton's box, poking it past their en-rushing keeper.
However, two late strikes in the final five minutes flipped the match on it's head, as Bolton latched onto a defensive slip-up and then netted from a late free-kick to win 2-1.
For this Brazil Takeover Day, Gary Caldwell made one change to his starting lineup from the 2-1 defeat at Wycombe, with Demetri Mitchell reclaiming his spot as Ilmari Niskanen moved to the bench. The Grecians welcomed back Millenic Alli and Jack Aitchison, who both recovered from short injury layoffs to return.
First half
The game began with a beat of chaos for Bolton, as Wanderers defender Ricardo Santos sent a pass bag to his own keeper only to miss his teammate. Luckily for the Trotters man, the ball rolled just wide of the post.
Shaken but not deterred, the visitors began to assert their rhythm, racking up a series of early corners. They thought they'd found their groove just shy of the 15-minute mark when Aaron Collins coolly slotted the ball home, but his offside position meant the strike wouldn’t count.
Bolton came close moments later as the pressure didn’t let up. A corner delivery from former Grecian Randell Williams was met by Santos, whose header clipped the crossbar, with the referee calling no foul despite Joe Whitworth being bundled over.
City began to find their footing in the match, stringing together passages of play with a growing confidence. Josh Magennis darted down the right and whipped in a low ball across the six-yard box that had Wanderers scrambling, while Ryan Woods’ curling corner had shades of Brazilian guile as it forced the keeper into action.
Despite Exeter’s efforts, Bolton continued to carry the greater threat. A misjudged defensive header from Jack Fitzwater gifted John McAtee a golden chance with a first time shot from the edge of the box eight minutes before the break, but Joe Whitworth produced a crucial save.
The Grecians weren’t deterred, though, and Fitzwater found himself in the opposition box once more five minutes later. Rising to meet Jack McMillan’s delivery, his header lacked the finesse needed to trouble the visitors as Bolton managed to clear their lines.
Second half
Whitworth made another super save at the start of the second 45 to keep the game level. Bolton crafted a clever move from a free-kick, switching play from left to right before delivering into the box. Aaron Collins' volley looked destined for the net, but Whitworth’s sharp reflexes denied him. The rebound fell to Klaidi Lolos, whose rushed effort sailed harmlessly over the bar.
From the resulting goal-kick, the Grecians took the lead in direct fashion.
Whitworth launched a long ball forward, bypassing midfield and catching Bolton off guard. As Magennis contested with George Johnston, the ball bounced through to Demetri Mitchell. With the Wanderers keeper rushing to intercept, Mitchell coolly flicked the ball past him. It trickled into the net, sending St James Park into raptures to rival carnival.
That goal breathed confidence into City and they began to attack Bolton more, with Harper having a drive held by the keeper as he sprinted the length of Wanderers’ half before cutting into the box.
The game became increasingly stretched from there, with both sides receiving cautions for dragging back their opposing players. From the dugout, both managers made substitutions, and one of those changes Aitchison drew a save down low from Baxter in Wanderers goal, when he had space for a low shot 30 yards out.
As the game got wetter in the driving sleet, a mix up at the back brought about a late equaliser for the visitors. A long ball was headed back by Fitzwater to Whitworth but in nipped Collins to push the ball past Whitworth and level the game with two minutes to go.
Four minutes later as the game ticked into added time, it was late heartbreak once again for City. For the second time in three days, Aaron Morely scored a late winner against Exeter, sending in a cross that went past everyone and into the net.
Another moment of late heartbreak for City this week, as the game finished 2-1 to the visitors.
City are back at St James Park next weekend for the visit of Oxford United in the Third Round of the FA Cup. Get your tickets now.
Exeter City: Whitworth, McMillan, Fitzwater, Crama, Francis, Harper, Woods, J. Richards, Watts (Aitchison, 63'), Mitchell (Niskanen, 63'), Magennis (C).
Substitutes not used: MacDonald (GK), Alli, Yfeko, Jones, Doyle.
Goal: Mitchell 54'
Yellow card: J. Richards 63'
Bolton Wanderers: Baxter, Thomason (C) (Matete, 86'), Santos, Johnston, Forrester, Morley, Lolos (Charles, 70'), Collins, Schon (Osei-Tutu, 70'), Williams, McAtee.
Substitutes not used: Jones, Mendes Gomes, Dacres-Cogley, Arfield.
Goals: Collins 88', Morely 90+1'
Yellow card: Schon 21', Tomason 51', Williams 62', McAtee 81'
Attendance: 6353 (626 away)