Exeter City's late show extends unbeaten run in dramatic fightback

Exeter City’s late late show made it seven games unbeaten as they snatched a point at the death away to Leyton Orient. The Grecians had been the better of the two sides on Tuesday night, but two defensive mistakes had looked like costing them as they were 2-0 down in the 88 ^th minute.

Ollie O’Neill gave Orient the lead in the 35 ^th minute with an Olympico goal as his deep corner curled over everyone and into the back of the net. He then set up George Moncur just after the hour mark to make it 2-0 after a mistake by Tom Carroll.

But Millenic Alli gave City hope with two minutes to go when he was left unmarked to head home what was his first goal for the Grecians. And then in the 92 ^nd minute, Will Aimson with a backheeled flick snatched the equaliser as his deflection turned in Carroll’s shot to make it 2-2.

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There was still time for City to try and grab a winner, but it didn’t come. However, with Cheltenham Town losing to already-relegated Carlisle United, Exeter ’s League One safety had already been mathematically secured.

City stayed 12 ^th in the table as they moved onto 55 points, just one shy of the tally they finished late season on. With three games to go, the first aim is to try and surpass that total, and while manager Gary Caldwell was delighted with the comeback and the spirit his side showed – albeit against ten men – he was a little disappointed that they didn’t go and complete things and get the winner.

“We had to work extremely hard for the point to come back from behind,” Caldwell said. “I thought the first half was fairly even. We started the game well but then Orient came back into it. I wanted a bit more intensity and I thought we got that second half.

“The two goals we gave away were extremely poor from our point of view and they didn’t create many chances outside of them. Late on I thought we created enough chances to win the game, so it was great fight and spirit from us to keep the unbeaten run going.

“It’s another point on the board but we wanted more so we now need to look at the remaining three games to see what we can take out of them. We put a lot of balls into their box and it was a backheel I think from our centre-half Will Aimson for the equaliser from a brilliant short corner, but at that moment we were creating lots of opportunities.

“But to be 2-0 down and come back, I’m delighted. We played well, were the better team and gifted them a second goal, but when they went down to 10, we created so many chances, I would have liked to have won it, but we had fighting spirit and showed what we are as a team.”

After the 1-0 win over Stevenage on Saturday, Caldwell made four changes to the Grecians line-up. In came Zak Jules in defence, after his three match suspension, while Ilmari Niskanen, Jake Richards and Jack Aitchison were the other players recalled. Vincent Harper and Luke Harris dropped down to the bench, while Sonny Cox was not involved after picking up a hamstring injury at the weekend. Alex Hartridge, who is to depart in the summer, was not in the matchday squad.

It took 33 minutes for the first real chance for either side. Dion Rankine danced forward, fizzed in a low cross, and Richards’ effort from 12 yards out beat the goalkeeper, but went wide of the post. It was close to a first goal for the 16-year-old.

Two minutes later, City were behind. O’Neill’s inswinging delivery from a corner evaded everyone and dropped into the far corner. Despite the protests of Vil Sinisalo that he was fouled, there didn’t look to be much wrong with it, and the referee gave the goal.

Alli replaced Aitchison shortly before the break, with the Scot limping off injured., while at half-time Caldwell made his second substitution of the night at half-time, with Harris replacing Richards. Niskanen missed two chances early in the second half to level, but in the 64 ^th minute, City gifted Richie Wellens’ men a second goal.

Carroll gave the ball away in a dangerous position straight to O’Neill. The Irishman drove into the area, cut the ball back to Moncur, who had the easiest of finishes from close range to make it 2-0.

Caldwell then made a double change, with Harper and Yanic Wildschut replacing Rankine and Reece Cole. The latter, who was almost unplayable in his cameo, nearly pulled one back with his first involvement and he broke forward and cut inside, but his powerful strike just flew over the crossbar. Alli then did brilliantly from a tight angle to beat two men and put it seemingly on a plate for Niskanen, but he sliced the finish wide.

Brandon Cooper was forced off with injury during the second half leaving Orient, who had already used all their substitutes, to battle out the final 20 minutes a man down. And in the 88 ^th minute, City finally got the goal they had been threatening. Harris’ cross was clipped in, and Alli, unmarked at the far post, nodded home his first City goal. Six minutes of stoppage-time were added-on, and in the first, Harris saw a shot pushed wide for a corner.

But from the corner, it was played short to Niskanen, he cut it back to Carroll, and his shot from the edge of the box was flicked in by Aimson’s backheel to make it 2-2 and take the defender to four for the season. There were wild scenes of celebrations, but the manager was a little disappointed his players didn’t seize the moment and the momentum and go and win it.

“It was a great moment for the fans when they travel, but as players, put the ball on the spot and then get a third and then really celebrate in the corner,” he said. “But we can look forward to next season with real optimism.”

City are now unbeaten in seven – the longest run in two years, and the longest in their tier since 2010. With three games to go, the chance is there to make it ten games unbeaten in the third tier – something that City have only done once in their history – back in December 1932 and January 1933 – when it was the third division south – starting with the trip to Port Vale, who sit in the bottom four, on Saturday.

“We are seven unbeaten, and we still want more,” Caldwell added. “It has been a long season, there are three games to go, we will recover, and look forward, and then pick a team to be ready and fully commit and be energetic. We have to keep demanding and pushing for the final three games, and we want more than just matching the tally from last season. We want to keep going, had we won tonight, could have possibly got into the top 10.”

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