Exeter City were left fuming after controversial refereeing decisions saw the Grecians start 2025 with a defeat. It had looked as if they were set to earn a hard-fought and fully deserved point away to League One leaders Wycombe Wanderers before a stoppage-time penalty gave the Chairboys a 2-1 win.

Ilmari Niskanen had a first half header ruled out for an alleged foul somewhere in the build before the Finn nodded in. Wycombe had been kept at arm’s length by City but midway through the second half, Luke Leahy’s deflected free-kick wrongfooted Joe Whitworth to put them ahead.

Tristan Crama though seemed to have earned City a late point when three minutes from time, the Frenchman headed home from an Ed Francis corner. However, in stoppage-time, Francis was harshly judged to have handled the ball in the area as referee Scott Simpson pointed to the spot.

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City manager Gary Caldwell was sent-off for his protests, before Aaron Morley stepped-up to dispatch the spot-kick in the bottom corner of the net to win it for the hosts who went back to the top of the table. Despite defeat, Exeter stayed 13 ^th .

“We deserved a point,” assistant manager Kevin Nicholson said, with Caldwell unable to conduct post-match media duties after his red card. “Our game plan was right, we controlled the game, bar a 15 minute spell in the second half.

“To come to a place like this when they have been free scoring and they’ve scored a deflected free kick and a contentious penalty to say the least, and we have had a goal disallowed which I’m struggling to understand why it was disallowed. I feel for the players. They’ve come here in a busy schedule, done everything we have asked, and have done it well.

“I hate excuses and hate to talk about officiating but it does feel like the referee has made several decisions which have gone against us and culminates in the manager being sent over. But the level of frustration is understandable based on how well we played and how much that has hurt us.

“The penalty, it has hit his hand but from six inches away and his hand goes up as it hits him, of course it does, he’s trying to get it out of the way. It’s in a natural position, a foot away from the player, and to be given in those circumstances, nothing about it seems right.

“The disallowed goal I’m still struggling with. They’ve said it was for a foul by our number two, but they have a player there so we can’t have touched the goalkeeper, their player is pushing him away, everyone misses it and we score a perfectly good goal. I hate excuses but I do feel like the officiating has kind of let us down.”

Caldwell made three changes from the side that dramatically battled back from 4-1 down to draw 4-4 against Crawley Town on Sunday. Out dropped Jay Bird and Kamari Doyle who were on the bench, with Magennis returning to lead the line. Vincent Harper and Caleb Watts, who impressed as substitutes, were also in the starting line-up. Johnly Yfeko though was fit enough to be on the bench after his hamstring injury after more than two months out. Millenic Alli also missed out after the striker felt something in his knee which he didn’t want to risk, while Sonny Cox will miss the next couple of weeks with a minor hamstring issue.

Wycombe, who saw their 19 game League One unbeaten run end on Sunday, had the first chances, with Caleb Taylor snatching at an effort in the box, before Cameron Humphreys saw a curling effort well kept out.

City’s first chance saw Harper pick out Watts, but the Australian steered his attempt wide. He then went on a mazy run, but saw his strike from the edge of the box blocked. The Grecians thought they had taken the lead in the 35 ^th minute when Niskanen headed in at the back post from a Francis corner, only to see the goal ruled out for a foul, although quite for what remains unclear.

Magennis then over from a Francis free-kick as in a game of few real chances, it was the Grecians who were fashioning the best of them. Caldwell’s side then had a better chance when Watts teased in a cross, but Niskanen from just six yards out, looped the header onto the roof of the net.

But in the 65 ^th minute, Wycombe took the lead in fortuitous circumstances. Leahy’s free-kick from 25 out yards took a wicked deflection off the head of Magennis and left Whitworth totally wrongfooted as it flew in. It was an unfortunate way for City to go behind.

The Grecians soon after had a golden chance to level. Watts’ 30 yard strike was only parried away by Franco Ravizzoli and straight into the path of Harper. He looked certain to score, but somehow missed the target. Beryly Lubala missed an even better chance to ease Wycombe’s nerves, but the striker from eight yards out placed his attempt the wrong side of the post.

And in the 87 ^th minute, City got the equalizer which on the balance of play they deserved. Francis swung in a corner, and Crama escaped his marker to guide his header in at the near post. It was a fourth goal of the season for the Frenchman which looked like snatching a late point and sent the away fans wild.

Five minutes of stoppage-time were added-on as both teams pushed for a winning goal, and in the second of those, Wycombe were handed a penalty. The ball was bouncing inside the box and Francis was adjudged to have handled under pressure from Humphreys. There was fury from the City players, while Caldwell was sent-off for his protests against the decision. Up stepped Morley and he dispatched the penalty into the bottom corner of the net to win it.

“There was a 15 minute spell when went away from having control,” Nicholson added. “We had control of the game, waited for them and then picked them off and the lads executed it for 75 of the 90 and it was taken out of their hands how the result came about.

“The point was the least we deserved and an opportunity to go and win it, but a point was the least we deserved. We need to understand how well we have done and need to be ready and go on Saturday and try and put right those wrongs.”

Exeter City are back in action on Saturday when they host Bolton Wanderers at St James Park.