Exeter City were denied all three points away at league leaders Lincoln City by an injury-time equaliser from the hosts.
by Simon Larkins 

The Grecians put in a superb display and led for the majority of the match as Matt Jay got is second goal in as many games, but a long throw into the box, in the sixth minute of stoppage time, allowed John Akinde to fire a shot towards the bottom corner that took a memorable victory away from City with seconds of the match remaining. 

Matt Taylor made three changes from the side that had beaten Crewe Alexandra last time out, as Dean Moxey dropped out of the squad through injury to be replaced by Aaron Martin, Craig Woodman came in for Randell Williams and Donovan Wilson started at the expense of Lee Holmes.  

However, there was another significant change as City started with three at the back, with Woodman and Kane Wilson operating as wing-backs and that formation worked from the start as the Grecians created the better chances and had more of the possession in the first half.  

The first effort on target did come from Lincoln though as Akinde was played in on the right side of the area but fired straight at Christy Pym. 

Jake Taylor had a similar effort after 19 minutes, following good work from Donovan Wilson and Woodman, but his effort was also comfortably saved.  

City got the breakthrough their start deserved at 21 minutes though as Taylor was fouled just on the edge of the area, on the left side, and Jay floated a ball over the wall and into the far corner of the net for his second goal in as many games. 

Two minutes later and it, perhaps, should have been 2-0 to City as Kane Wilson, a threat down the right all first half, crossed for Donovan Wilson to send a header looping just over the crossbar from six yards out.  

The home side ended half on top though as Akinde nodded just wide after 30 minutes and then two minutes before the break Tom Pett brought a good save out of Pym from just inside the box. 

Lincoln made a change at the start of the second half as Shay McCartan came on for Mark O’Hara, but the hosts were still finding it very difficult to break down a determined City defence with only a wayward shot from Bruno Andrade threatening Pym’s goal in the opening 15 minutes of the second half.  

In fact, it was City would should have taken extended their lead just past the hour mark when a cute backheel from Archie Collins played in Kane Wilson and his low cross took a deflection off a defender just before Ryan Bowman was about to side-foot home. 

Then came a potentially big moment in the match as Akinde was sent through on goal by a Matt Rhead flick-on with 15 minutes to go. The striker went down under a challenge from Aaron Martin before poking a shot against the post.

Then five minutes later Shay McCartan played a well-placed free-kick into the wall. So, with the 90 minutes up – and four minutes of stoppage time shown – it looked as though City’s luck was going to hold out.

However, with the last attack of the match a long throw was played into the area. Again, Rhead flicked the ball on and this time Akinde provided the finishing touch.  

Lincoln City: Gilks, O’Connor, Shackell, O’Hara (McCartan, 53), Pett (Bolger, 82), Andrade, Toffolo, Boswtick, Rowe (Rhead, 67), Eardely, Akinde. Subs: Vickers, Angol, Roberts, Smith 

Exeter City: Pym, Sweeney, Woodman, O’Shea, A Martin, Bowman (Hartridge, 90+4), Jay (Boateng, 82), D Wilson (Forte, 60), K Wilson, Taylor, Collins. Subs: Hamon, Holmes, Williams, J Brown.

Attendance: 8,589 (123, away)