Exeter City continued their pre-season campaign with a 2-2 draw against Taunton Town at the Viridor Stadium.
Despite earning themselves a two-goal lead through a first half strike from Joel Randall and a second half finish from Matt Jay, the Peacocks fought back with two good strikes from Dan Sullivan and Rocky Neal.
City’s first opportunity of the match came eight minutes in when Randall worked it well with Archie Collins to send Jay down the left-hand side. The forward cut in before crossing to Tristan Abrahams, but after a Taunton clearance, Jack Sparkes then had a left-footed shot well blocked.
The Grecians continued to dominate much of the ball for the opening 20 minutes, without creating much, despite the likes of Archie Collins and Randall looking lively in the opening exchanges as the Peacocks rarely got sight of James Hamon’s goal.
And it would be Matt Taylor’s side who would take the lead on 25 minutes when Collins did well to win the ball in midfield before finding Jay, who teed up Randall to slot the ball home into the far corner with a cool finish.
Taunton would have their first chance a few minutes later when a long ball forward wasn’t dealt with by the City defence as Dan Sullivan nipped in. The forward got himself into a good position before miscuing as Hamon collected.
City then went close to doubling their lead on the cusp of half-time when Abrahams did well to keep the ball in play and get behind the Town defence before he squared the ball to Jay, whose effort was well saved by an onrushing Lloyd Irish as the Grecians took a 1-0 lead into the break.
It was the hosts who would have the first sight of goal in the second half when Pierce Mitchell received the ball in space before rifling a shot just over, before Luke Croll was forced to turn away a dangerous cross in the City area.
Taunton would then go inches from levelling when a long throw into the box caused havoc and Neal popped up at the far post with an overhead kick, but always stretching he miscued and the ball nestled wide of Hamon’s goal.
The Grecians managed to ride out that spell of pressure and doubled their lead on 62 minutes when Jay kept up his pre-season scoring form as he received the ball on the edge of the box before curling a fantastic effort into the far corner.
But Taunton pulled one back just three minutes later when the ball fell to Sullivan just inside the box before he rifled the ball past Hamon to halve the deficit.
Matt Taylor then made a host of changes for the final 20 minutes with goalkeeping coach, Chris Weale, coming in to gain some minutes as he will provide cover if necessary throughout the season. Youngsters such as Harry Kite, Jordan Dyer, James Dodd, Max Smallcombe and Ben Seymour were also given minutes.
But it was the hosts who would score next on 76 minutes when Neal was found in space before he shot powerfully into the right-hand corner to make it 2-2.
Despite City pushing to get themselves back in front they were made to settle for a draw by a determined Taunton side.
Taunton Town: Irish, Mitchell, Felix, Adlesbury, Emmerson, White, Chamberlain, Nelmes, Sullivan, Neal, Buse
Subs: Sow, Trialist, Stone, Trialist, Veal
Booked:
Exeter City: Hamon (Weale, 69), Woodman (Kite, 69), Croll, Dean (Hartridge, 45), Oates (Dyer, 69), Sparkes, Collins, Tillson (Dodd, 69), Randall (Key, 45), Jay (Smallcombe, 69), Abrahams (Seymour, 69)
Booked:
Attendance: 901