Exeter City saw their 2024 end in dramatic style as they came from 4-1 down to snatch a point at home to Crawley Town. The Red Devils defied their position in the relegation zone before the Grecians’ stirring second half comeback to earn a 4-4 draw.

Panutche Camara put the Red Devils ahead with 15 minutes on the clock with a close range finish. City had struggled to create anything, but with their first attempt on goal in the 35^th minute, Millenic Alli fired home from 25 yards.

But three goals in ten minutes sent Crawley in 4-1 up at half-time. Less than 90 seconds after conceding, Will Swan rounded Joe Whitworth and squeezed his finish home. Then Tola Showunmi capitalised on a howler from Whitworth who dropped the ball and the striker tapped into an empty net. And then Aramando Quitirna fired home a fourth in stoppage-time.

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Vincent Harper pulled one back with a stunning strike on the hour as City rallied. Ryan Woods then made it 4-3 when he scored direct from a corner with ten minutes to go. The Grecians threw the proverbial kitchen sink at it to try and rescue something, and in stoppage-time, they did as Demetri Mitchell curled home a stunning strike.

Following the 3-1 win over Bristol Rovers on Boxing Day, Gary Caldwell made four changes to the exeter-city-fc>Exeter City side. In came Jake Richards and Kamari Doyle, both of whom made an impact off the bench, while Jay Bird started upfront. Tristan Crama also returned after missing the win with injury.

There was no Kevin McDonald in the squad, while Demi Mitchell, Josh Magennis, and Caleb Watts dropped down to the bench, where they were joined by Pat Jones, with the Welshman in a matchday squad for the first time since his arrival in the summer after injury.

Crawley had the first chance of the game with eight minutes gone when space opened up for Toby Mullarkey, but his effort from distance flew over the bar. Quitirna was then allowed to drive forward but sliced the strike wide.

But in the 15^th minute, Crawley took the lead, and it had sort of been coming. Again Quitirna was allowed to drive forward without any real challenge. The ball in the penalty area broke to Camara, and getting it out from under his feet, he poked home his first goal of the season. For the third game running, City fell behind.

Bird getting booked after he overran the ball on a rare City break and clattered into a defender kind of summed up the first 20 minutes for the Grecians who had not got going in an attacking sense. The striker then limped off injured, with Harper replacing him.

But in the 35^th minute, and with what was the first shot of the game for the Grecians, they drew level. Harper set Alli free down the left and he drove forward and cut inside. It looked like there were better options available, but he beat one more man and then shot from 25 yards, with his effort sneaking into the bottom corner past the dive of Joseph Wollacott with a third goal in three.

Less than 90 seconds later though, Rob Elliot’s men restored the lead. Dion Conroy clipped a long ball forward and Swan beat the offside trap. The striker rounded Joe Whitworth and despite Jack Fitzwater’s despairing attempt to keep it out on the line, the finish went through the defender to put Crawley 2-1 up.

Just before half-time it was 3-1, and a shocking goal to concede. Whitworth went to throw the ball out, but the goalkeeper dropped it and landed straight at the feet of Showunmi. The striker had the easiest of finishes to roll the ball into the empty net to send the away fans wild.

It got better for them in the first half stoppage time and worse for City. Quitirna again was allowed to run forward, and his low shot from the edge of the box squeezed past Whitworth and ended up in the bottom corner. It was a half to forget for Exeter who were booed off at the break, who had conceded four at home in a league game for the first time since 2017.

Caldwell made a triple half-time substitution. Magennis, Mitchell and Watts came on for Fitzwater, Doyle and Ilmari Niskanen. In truth, almost any of them could have come off. And could it have got worse for City moments into the second half when Ed Francis seemed to haul down Showunmi in the box but the appeals were waved away by referee Matthew Russell. He then booked Watts for a dive, when it seemed he had been fouled.

Magennis saw a free-kick whistle just wide of the post as City tried to battle back. The skipper then saw a shot on the turn deflected behind for a corner as the pressure was growing. Harper picked out Alli with a brilliant cross, but he dragged the volley wide. But on the hour, the goal which had been coming did. Mitchell found Harper, he cut inside, and curled a beautiful finish into the top corner to make it 4-2.

Alli then fired over, before the striker had a shot blocked as it was all one-way traffic now as the visitors took the chance to timewaste wherever possible. Jones then replaced Richards for his debut as the final change. Mitchell then forced a smart save from the keeper, before Alli’s flicked effort went wide, Magennis saw an acrobatic effort saved, and Crama nodded wide.

But in the 81^st minute, the deficit was just one. Woods’ corner was teasing and evaded everyone as it flew into the back of the net. The appeals from Crawley’s players for a foul on Wollacott were waved away as a grandstand finish was set up.

And it should have been 4-4. Woods swung in a free-kick, Crama rose highest, but six yards out, the Frenchman headed wide. Magennis was then slipped in by Watts but found the side netting.

Five minutes of stoppage-time were added-on. In the first of them, Mitchell saw a header brilliantly saved. But in the third of them, it was 4-4. Jones found Mitchell, he cut inside and found the far corner with a stunning strike. The Big Bank went wild.

There wasn’t time for a winner. City dropped down to 13^th with the point, while Crawley’s winless run extended to six as they stayed in the relegation zone. Exeter City are back in action on New Year’s Day when they travel to Wycombe Wanderers.

Exeter City: – Joe Whitworth, Jack Fitzwater (Josh Magennis, 45), Tristan Crama, Ed Francis, Jack McMillan, Ryan Woods, Jake Richards (Pat Jones, 74), Ilmari Niskanen (Demetri Mitchell, 45), Kamari Doyle (Caleb Watts, 45), Millenic Alli, Jay Bird (Vincent Harper, 26)

Subs: Shaun MacDonald, Ben Purrington,

Booking: Bird, Watts, Alli