Exeter City 4, Crawley Town 4: Reds denied by late goal in eight-goal thriller
Crawley Town and Exeter City played out a stunning eight-goal thriller at St James Park.
The Reds have had a difficult festive period so far, losing 1-0 to Birmingham on Monday and 3-0 away at Leyton Orient on Boxing Day.
But they produced a stunning first half, leading 4-1 at half-time but Exeter fought back to claim a point.
Panutche Camara, Armando Quitirna and Tola Showunmi came into the side for Tyreece John-Jules, Jack Roles and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy.
Neither Jay Williams and Ronan Darcy, who are both rumoured to be leaving the club in January, are named in the matchday squad.
Camara gave Crawley a deserved lead after 15 minutes after good work from Armando Quitirna. The midfielder poked home from eight yards.
Millenic Alli equalised on 35 minutes when he was allowed to run a long way with the ball before firing home from 20 yards. But almost instantly Reds took the lead again when Dion Conroy’s fabulous through ball found Swan and the striker to the ball down brilliantly before rounding the keeper and slotting home.
It then got even better when an unforced error from Joe Whitworth gifted Tola Showunmi an open goal and the striker got his sixth goal of the season before Quitirna finished brilliantly in first half stoppage time to make it 4-1 at half time.
Exeter started the second half on the attack on got a deserved goal back on the hour when he beat Camara on the left and cut back on his right to curl home and make it 4-2.
Reds were under a lot of pressure and they defended well but in the 82nd minute a corner from Ryan Woods went direcrtly in. Wollocaott looked like he was fouled by two Exeter players but the referee allowed it to stand to make it a tense final 10 minutes for Crawley.
Wollacott looked like he was fouled by two Exeter players but the referee allowed it to stand to make it a tense final 10 minutes for Crawley. And after Wollacott produced a stunning save, he was beaten by a curling effort by Demetri Mitchell, who secured a point for a the home side.
The draw leaves Reds in 21st in the League One table as they prepare to hoist Charlton on New Year’s Day.