Exeter City ended their run of six successive defeats as they snatched a late equaliser at home to Lincoln City. Ryan Trevitt’s goal in the 81^st minute ensured that the Grecians rescued a point and avoided a seventh straight loss for the first time since 2000.

The Grecians looked nervous with the recent run of poor form on their minds, and it was perhaps no surprise when Lincoln took a 20^th minute lead. A long throw-in wasn’t dealt with, the ball was put back in, and Alistair Smith swept the finish home.

Admiral Muskwe and James Scott missed golden chances to draw level in the dying stages of the first half, but City couldn’t find their way to goal. Sean Roughan should have sealed it 20 minutes from time for the visitors, but somehow hit the crossbar when presented with an open goal.

That was costly when Trevitt headed home an equaliser ten minutes from time after great work by Demetri Mitchell down the right to end City’s long goal drought. Mitchell then squandered a great chance to win it late on as Exeter threw everything at it.

Read More – Exeter City vs Lincoln City – recap

They had to settle for a point though, which saw City rise to 17^th in the table, although now just three points outside the relegation zone. The Imps stay ninth.

Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell made four changes from the side who were dismally beaten 2-0 at Derby County on Tuesday night. Pierce Sweeney returned to the defence, Harry Kite as a wing-back, Reece Cole into midfield, and James Scott in the front three. Jack Fitzwater, Vincent Harper and Tom Carroll dropped to the bench, while Zak Jules was out ill.

The Imps had the first chance as the midfield opened up nicely for Ethan Hamilton to let fly from 25 yards, but the effort was well kept out by Vil Sinisalo. The goalkeeper then saw a clearance half-cleared down by Hakeeb Adelakun, but thankfully for City it bounced away from goal. At the other end, Scott’s flick-on from a corner landed on the roof of the net.

Lincoln had another chance after a great run by Adelakun. He skipped past two defenders, but Sinisalo was equal to the attempt and he pushed the strike wide. The attacker had another chance when he pounced on a defensive error, but his touch was heavy and it went begging. City though came close when Will Aimson saw a header from a corner cleared off the line.

But in the 20^th minute, the visitors took the lead, and it was a goal that had been coming. Adelakun’s long throw fell to Paudie O’Connor who drilled his cross into the path of Alistair Smith, who swept home from six yards. It was his first goal for the club and left the Grecians with plenty of work to do.

Scott almost immediately saw a header saved by Lukas Jensen, but City were all over the place defensively, gifting the Imps chances with huge gaps between the backline and the midfield. Only a last-gasp intervention from a backtracking Cole stopped Lasse Sorensen being played clean through on goal.

Exeter couldn’t keep the ball and boos rang out when Admiral Muskwe lazily was caught offside. They had a great chance when Demetri Mitchell cut inside from inside the penalty area. His shot was going wide, Scott got his head to it, but from three yards out and with an open goal, he nodded over the bar. The offside flag though spared his blushes.

That wasn’t the case in stoppage-time when Muskwe was played through by Mitchell. The Luton Town loanee was one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but from just ten yards out, he dragged the effort well wide of the target. He should have scored. Scott then saw a header from a Kite cross clawed away by Jensen as City went in behind.

Neither side made a change at the break, but Tom Shaw’s men came out the quickest, and an Adelukan corner that was drifting in was headed off the line by Alex Hartridge. Chances were at a premium for City, and on 57 minutes, Caldwell made a triple change. On came Carroll, Yanic Wildschut and Harper for Jack Aitchison, who seemed to have picked up a knock, Kite and Muskwe who had been ineffective.

Ryan Trevitt saw a free-kick saved by Jensen, before Wildschut worked an opening for himself, but saw his low shot find the side netting, and Mitchell a free-kick pushed over. At the other end, Sean Roughan saw a close-range headed float onto the roof of the net, before he missed an absolute sitter. The Imps broke from a corner, Jack Vale was allowed to run almost the length of the pitch. He slid the ball to Smith, who squared it to Roughan who had an open goal, but somehow contrived to hit the crossbar.

Harper volleyed wide when the ball bounced nicely to him. The wing-back then was booked for a dive as he tried to win a penalty as City were getting a bit desperate. But in the 81^st minute, City finally found a way to goal for the first time in more than seven hours as they drew level. Mitchell skipped past his man on the right, clipped in the cross, and Trevitt rose highest to head home to make it 1-1.

Suddenly City’s confidence was back, and instantly they should have gone ahead. Carroll slid the ball through to Mitchell and he was clean through on goal. He opened his body up to curl the ball into the far corner, but missed the target. It was a massive chance.

Lasse Sorensen had a chance to win it for Lincoln, but he volleyed over. O’Connor was lucky to only see yellow when he hauled down Harper dangerously. Six minutes of stoppage-time were added-on, but neither side could win it, and it finished level.

Exeter City are back in action on Tuesday night when they host Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup round four. The Grecians then host Wigan Athletic on Saturday in the FA Cup.

Exeter City: Vil Sinisalo, Pierce Sweeney, Will Aimson, Alex Hartridge, Harry Kite (Vincent Harper, 57), Ryan Trevitt, Reece Cole (Kyle Taylor, 90), Demetri Mitchell, Jack Aitchison (Tom Carroll, 57), James Scott, Admiral Muskwe (Yanic Wildschut, 57).

Subs: Shaun McDonald, Cheick Diabate, Jack Fitzwater,