Exeter City claimed a well-earned point against fourth-placed Wycombe Wanderers after a tight affair at Adams Park. By Ben Lang

Both sides struggled to create a clear opening in early stages of the game, but City needed to put in a strong defensive showing in the second half to secure a valuable point away from home.

City boss, Paul Tisdale, made two changes to the side that beat Carlisle United 1-0 last time out as Jordan Tillson came in for the injured Luke Croll, and Dean Moxey made his first away league start of the season in place of Lee Holmes.

After a quiet start to the game, Wycombe had the first chance of the afternoon when Pierce Sweeney was dispossessed inside the City box. This allowed Eberechi Eze to play a dangerous ball towards the back post that was met by the head of Adebayo Akinfenwa, who steered his effort over the bar.

Soon later, Wycombe launched a free-kick from the halfway line and Christy Pym, who came out to meet the ball, only managed to punch the ball to Marcus Bean on the edge of the City box. Bean’s effort was then blocked by Sweeney and the ball was eventually cleared away.

City grew into the half as it developed and their first major chance came on the half hour mark. Hiram Boateng created some space on the edge of the Wycombe box and unleashed a fierce shot that was well-saved by Scott Brown in goal.

Moments later, City came even closer after Wycombe conceded a foul 30 yards from goal. Stockley stepped up to take the resulting free-kick but his curling effort clipped the top of the crossbar after Brown had been beaten.

City were then forced to make the game’s first change as Boateng was unable to continue after a collision with Wycombe skipper Adam El-Abd. The midfielder, who had looked lively, was replaced by Lee Holmes on the brink of half-time.

City enjoyed much of the possession after the break, and they claimed the second half’s first chance when City striker Reuben Reid nodded the ball wide after Lloyd James had played a teasing ball into the box.

At the other end, the hosts missed a golden opportunity as Eze created space in City’s penalty area and fizzed a low cross across the face of goal. Akinfenwa was faced with an empty net when he arrived at the back post to meet the ball, but he side-footed his effort just wide.

The hosts were on top in the closing stages and they thought they had won it late on when Eze fired the ball into the back of the net, but the referee had already blown his whistle for a foul on Pym in the build up.

Wycombe continued to pile on the pressure in the dying embers of the game, but the Grecians defended with resilience and held on to their clean sheet.

Exeter City: Pym; Sweeney, Brown, Tillson, Woodman, Taylor, James, Boateng (Holmes, 43), Moxey, Stockley, Reid (McAlinden, 77).

Wycombe Wanderers: Brown; Jombati (Scarr, 87), Jacobson, Stewart, El-Abd, Bean, Gape, Eze, Freeman (Southwell, 73), Akinfenwa, Mackail-Smith (Cowan-Hall, 73).

Booked: Bean

Attendance: 5,006 (500 away)