Tom Nichols rescued a point for Exeter City, but their winless run extended to eight games after an enthralling 2-2 draw with Bury at St James' Park.
The young striker struck 13 minutes from time in a game where the Shakers had led twice. Daniel Nardiello struck on his return to St James' Park to open the scoring, but David Wheeler's first goal for Exeter levelled matters.
Nathan Cameron struck straight after half-time, but Exeter got the rewards their efforts deserved with Nichols strike. He even had a late chance to win it, but it wasn't to be.
The Grecians were unchanged from the side that started the 1-1 draw at Wycombe in midweek, while Bury – managed by former City striker Ronnie Jepson – fielded another ex-Grecian frontman in the shape of Nardiello.
Such was the blinding nature of the low sun behind the St James' Road End that winning the toss would have given either team a first half advantage. Typically, it went Bury's way and it was no surprise that they shot towards the Big Bank in the first half.
However, it was Exeter that created the first opportunity when David Wheeler latched onto Artur Krysiak's booming clearance, but dragged his shot wide from the edge of the penalty box.
O'Flynn was off target with a header from a Butterfield cross and Matt Grimes' cross-shot was headed off the line by a Bury defender.
However, despite their good start. Exeter went behind on 15 minutes after some poor defending from Danny Coles, whose square pass put Woodman in trouble. Nardiello robbed him of the ball and drilled a low shot across goal and into the far corner from 20 yards.
City were fortunate not to go 2-0 down when Bennett's pass was cut out in midfield and fed to Nardiello. This time, he crossed for Danny Hylton, but he couldn't bundle the ball in from close range with Krysiak getting across his goal to make a vital save.
Sercombe earned the Grecians some respite when he won a free kick 25 yards from goal, but Matt Grimes' effort hit the wall and as Exeter recycled the ball, Bennett was off target from Sercombe's cross.
Another poor pass by Coles went straight to Hylton, but his shot was straight at Krysiak and the City skipper had another huge let off when he again failed to deal with the ball allowing Hylton in on goal. This time, the Bury striker pulled his shot wide from 18 yards.
A City attack ended with Gow's placed finish deflecting narrowly wide from 18 yards and Grimes was off target with an ambitious shot as Exeter's corner fell for him 25 yards out.
It was all a little too desperate from the Grecians, who at least benefited from the shadows growing increasingly longer. But what they really needed was a goal – and it came four minutes before the break.
Woodman picked out O'Flynn who had made a clever run towards the corner flag and he hooked the ball into the box, where Wheeler reacted quickly to get in front of his marker and volley his first goal in professional football.
It was O'Flynn's last contribution as he went off and was replaced by Sam Parkin at the break, but City made a woeful start to the second half. Krysiak should have come to gather Jensen's booming clearance but didn't and from Coles' poor header, Bury won a corner. Chris Sedgewick put it on the head of defender Nathan Cameron and he powered a header into the net.
Nardiello screwed a shot wide after more hapless defending from City and Cameron became the first player booked for a cynical foul on Wheeler. Rimes tghen won his team a free kick, which Sercombe took and saw tipped wide by Jensen.
Andy Proctor was denied by Krysiak and from the resulting corner, an almighty scramble ended with Bury thinking they had got the ball over the line, but nothing was given. It was certainly a let-off for Exeter with the Bury players still disputing it long after the event.
Parkin dragged a great chance wide and Tisdale made his final change by replacing Coles and Wheeler with Tom Nichols and Arron Davies. Wheeler's substitution did not go down well with chants of: "You don't know what you're doing." It was quite obvious: 3-4-3 with Sercombe as the right-sided wing-back and Nichols joining Gow and Parkin in attack.
With 13 minutes remaining, and three minutes after the changes, City got the equaliser. They had been applying plenty of pressure on the visitors' goal and from Sercombe's drilled cross, Nichols turned the ball in from close range.
Bury responded with Craig Jones delivering a superb cross for Nardiello, but unmarked and six yards out, the former Grecians headed over the bar and Hylton was also off target with a hooked volley from 12 yards.
However, bury were suddenly looking the more likely to score with Tom Soares testing Krysiak from 20 yards, but the City 'keeper was equal to it again.
As the game entered stoppage time, Sercombe was denied by some frantic Bury defending and Nichols headed a chance wide at the death from Grimes' cross.
Exeter City (4-3-3): Krysiak; Butterfield, Bennett, Coles (Nichols 72), Woodman; Sercombe, Gill, Grimes; Wheeler (Davies 72), O'Flynn (Parkin h-t), Gow. Substitutes (not used): Pym (gk), Baldwin, Davies, Doherty, Keohane.
Goals: Wheeler 41, Nichols 77
Bury (4-4-2): Jensen; Beeley, Cameron, Edjenguele, Howell; Jones, Proctor, Soares, Sedgwick (Mayor 80); Nardiello, Hylton. Substitutes` (not used): Lainton (gk), Hinds, Holden, Harrad, Reindorf.
Goals: Nardiello 15, Cameron 47
Booking: Cameron
Referee: S Martin
Attendance: 3,426.
![MATCH REPORT: Exeter City 2 Bury 2]( "MATCH REPORT: Exeter City 2 Bury 2")
