Exeter City scored two late goals to earn themselves a 2-2 pre-season draw away from home against Taunton Town.

Ollie Chamberlain gave the home side the lead just after the break with an excellent volley before Josh Grant doubled the lead soon after.

Ben Seymour then pulled one back on 82 minutes from close range before he then saw his penalty saved shortly after. But Will Dean was on hand to head home just seconds before full-time.

Manager Matt Taylor named a mix of youth and experience with Craig Woodman making his second pre-season appearance alongside Jordan Tillson and Lee Martin, whilst there were also starts for Robbie Cundy, Will Dean and Jack Sparkes.

It took until the 10th minute for the game to have its first real chance and it came for the Grecians when Ben Seymour chested down Woodman’s ball over the top, but despite controlling well, his effort was straight at Lloyd Irish.

City’s next opportunity came on 17 minutes after good play down the left from Martin, who then found Woodman, and his cross was aimed well to the far post. Alex Fisher managed to connect well and head back across goal but for Irish to prevent Seymour from getting a head to it in the nick of time.

Andrew Neal had the host’s first attempt of the evening after 24 minutes when he cut in from the left before firing an effort well wide of Jonny Maxted’s goal.

In a half of few chances it was Martin who would have City’s next effort on 38 minutes when City worked it well centrally before the ball fell to the midfielder whose powerful left footed effort from distance was caught by the Town keeper.

City’s trialist at right back was the last to have an attempt in the first period after he combined well with Sparkes on the right before he whipped a left footed effort towards goal, but it dipped just wide of the far corner.

The second half was just a couple of minutes old when Taunton took the lead. After Cundy headed away a cross to the edge of the box, the Taunton man let fly with a superb volley into Maxted’s goal to give the home side the advantage.

City were unable to create any clear-cut chances after going behind, and Town doubled their lead on the hour mark when a deep cross was headed on towards the back post for Grant to fire in from close range to make it 2-0.

The Grecians almost came back into it on 73 minutes when the ball was worked out to the left-hand side and Sparkes crossed fantastically to the far post towards substitute Joel Randall, but his header was straight at the Town keeper.

But City did get one back, and it came eight minutes from time. After a deep free-kick from the right from Sparkes, the ball ricocheted around the Town area before falling to Seymour to poke home from close range to halve the deficit.

Matt Taylor’s side then had the chance to draw level from the penalty spot just a couple of minutes later when Randall was brought down in the box. Seymour stepped up to take but was unable to beat Irish who saved well to his left.

But just seconds before full-time an inswinging corner found Dean unmarked who headed home to earn City a draw.

Taunton Town: Irish, Mitchell, White, Adelsbury, Palmer, Price, Chamberlain, Diallo, Wright, Sullivan, Neal. Subs not used: Hall, Rice, Coppin, Manley, Sullivan, Searle
Booked: Irish

Exeter City: Maxted, Trialist, Woodman (Randall, 45), Cundy, Dean, Tillson, Jay (Chrisene, 70), Sparkes, L. Martin (Kite, 59), Fisher, Seymour
Subs not used: Ward, Sweeney, Williams, Bowman

Attendance: 683