Exeter City suffered their second successive sickening stoppage-time defeat in the space of a four days – and it was the same man who got the winner on both occasions. Just as he had done for his loanee club Wycombe Wanderers on New Year’s Day, Aaron Morley scored a winner this time for Bolton Wanderers having been recalled.

Demetri Mitchell had put the Grecians ahead at St James Park early in the second half when he pounced on a defensive error as they looked to be on course to claim all three points. But joy turned to despair late on as Bolton scored twice to steal all three points.

Firstly Aaron Collins pounced on a City defensive error when a back header from Jack Fitzwater didn’t have the pace on it and he poked home past Joe Whitworth. And then in stoppage-time, Morley swung in a cross that somehow evaded everyone and snuck in at the back post to make it 2-1.

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City dropped down to 14 ^th in League One while Bolton cut the gap to the play-offs to just four points with their first win on the road for two months. However, the win was tarnished by an allegation of racial abuse aimed at Exeter's former Bolton striker Josh Magennis from someone among the visiting supporters.

“We did so many good things to win the game,” Grecians boss Gary Caldwell said. “I still feel we can be better when go a goal up, but it is a real sickener for the players to concede. To draw would have been a massive blow but to lose a big disappointment, but it is what it is.

“We have to learn from it but can take so many good things out of these games even though we got no points from it. We have done enough to get four points from the last two games and we have thrown them away.

“We controlled the first half, we got after them, were more aggressive than we have been and it worked. We were better in the second half, scored a good goal, but we have to keep doing what we were doing. The game then switched as we didn’t play as much, didn’t get the press right after the changes and then conspired to lose a game we should have won.

“It was our free kick, we don’t put it in a good area and don’t play, we lose it in the middle of the pitch, and have to defend properly. It should be a routine defensive action and we gift them a goal. A huge blow and then to gift them another one is hugely disappointing.”

After the New Year’s Day defeat to a controversial stoppage-time penalty away to league leaders Wycombe Wanderers, Caldwell made just the one change to the Exeter City side. In came Mitchell, with Ilmari Niskanen dropping to the bench. Millenic Alli and Jack Aitchison were both fit enough to be a substitute. The man who scored that winner on Wednesday, Morley, was one of five changes for Bolton Wanderers after the Trotters recalled him from the loan spell.

The Grecians nearly took the lead in the fourth minute. Ricardo Santos played a backpass to Nathan Baxter, only to misjudge where the goalkeeper was. Fortunately for Bolton, the pass went just wide of the post to avoid the embarrassment.

The visitors though were creating some early chances. Collins then put the ball in the back of the net after a swift counter-attack, but the striker was well offside and the flag was correctly raised.

Ian Evatt’s men came close from a 20 ^th minute corner. Former Grecian Randell Williams swung it in dangerously and with pace, Santos rose highest in the six yard box, but his thunderous header hit the crossbar and bounced over. Bolton had looked threatening, and came close again when John McAtee's volleyed effort slipped through Joe Whitworth's arms but thankfully for City, he got just enough on it to turn it behind for a corner.

Just before the break City came close to an opener. A nice move saw Jack McMillan break down the right. He floated in a cross which the onrushing Fitzwater was inches away from getting his head to.

The visitors then came close early in the second half when McAtee saw a volley well saved by Whitworth and Lolos volleyed the rebound from six yards out over the bar.

That was a pivotal moment as seconds later, the Grecians led. Whitworth launched a long ball clear, Santos and Baxter were involved in a defensive mix-up as they left the ball for each other, and Mitchell nipped in to poke home a finish to make it 1-0 in the 54 ^th minute.

Suddenly City were on top and nearly extended the lead. Firstly Magennis saw an effort deflected wide. Then Harper beat an offside trap but clean through on goal, he fired straight into Baxter’s

City looked set to claim the points, but in the 88 ^th minute, Bolton snatched an equaliser. Dion Charles, off the bench, hooked a long ball forward. Fitzwater tried to head it back to Whitworth, but didn’t get enough pace on the header. Collins pounced as he got there first and poked into the empty net to make it 1-1.

And then in stoppage-time, Bolton won it. Morley swung in a cross, right as a tannoy announcement reporting that an allegation of racial abuse had been made was taking place. City’s defenders didn’t deal with the cross, a whole raft of players tried to get a touch on it, but seemingly no-one did as it crept home. It was a second winner for the midfielder against City in three days.

“We have to learn those lessons that help you win football matches because we have done enough to get four points in the last two games, but we have come away with nothing,” Caldwell said. “We had moments where I think we could have played better and we did that second half and scored a good goal through Demi. But we have to keep doing what we are doing in that moment.

“We have to be better, you can’t blame it on luck. So much of our game is really good against big teams and I think we have been better than them, but we have to take points from these games and become more ruthless and winners. We can take a lot from these games into the rest of the season but our own mistakes have given them the goals.”

Exeter City are back in action next Saturday when they host Oxford United in the FA Cup third round. They return to League One on Tuesday, January 14, at home to Mansfield Town.