Exeter City were held to a 1-1 draw against Weymouth as they travelled to the Bob Lucas Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Ben Seymour's second half header looked to have secured victory for the Grecians but a last gap equaliser from Calvin Brooks saved a draw for the hosts.
The friendly gave those who were lacking match fitness and game time the opportunity to impress Matt Taylor before the Grecians’ first home Sky Bet League Two fixture of the 2020/21 campaign versus Port Vale on Saturday.
It took a while to get going on the south coast and over the first ten minutes neither side fashioned a clear-cut chance. Nicky Ajose’s attempted lob was dealt with by Weymouth goalkeeper Jack Bycroft who was slightly off of his line and at the other end Andy Robinson headed wide from Brennan Camp’s cross.
The optimal goalscoring opportunity of the first half did fall to Ajose just four minutes later. Captain for the evening Nicky Law whipped a ball into the box which fell to the Exeter frontman, however he could not convert the ball on target on the half volley.
From the goal-kick, Weymouth charged down the other end but could not capitalise as Alefe Santos placed a superb delivery deep into the Grecians’ box towards an unmarked Tom Whelan whose volley caused no trouble for Jonny Maxted.
Following that effort the Terras found a few minutes of superiority with Camp heading just wide from a Whelan corner and Ollie Harfield forcing Maxted’s first save of the game with a well struck effort.
With forty minutes played, City looked to gain an advantage before the close of the first period with Ajose and Nelson Iseguan both having chances. The latter drove at goal following Ajose’s initial attempt, however the ball was eventually bundled away by a trio of Weymouth men.
The hosts came out in the second half with tremendous confidence. They looked to attack City more directly and came close after some brilliant passing football which ended in Cameron Murray firing wide of Maxted’s goal from the edge of the area.
Weymouth substitutes Josh Wakefield and Jordan Ngalo had the next attempts on goal with the former forcing Maxted into a close range save and the latter shooting from range to no effect.
Although the Terras had established a major foothold in the fixture, the Grecians opened the scoring through Ben Seymour. City's No.9 connected with Jack Sparkes’ cross and looped a header over Bycroft from inside the six yard box.
The hosts continued to create throughout the second half and Maxted was once again forced to make a smart goal-line stop as a header was goal bound.
With the game drawing to a close, Weymouth earned a corner in the 90th minute and snatched a last minute equaliser as Calvin Brooks’ header was powered into the City net and the match ended in a draw.
City are next in action this Saturday as they welcome Port Vale to St James Park in a 3pm kick-off in League Two.
Weymouth: Bycroft, Camp, Harfield, Olumuyiwa, Leslie-Smith, Santos, McCarthy, Robinson, Whelan, Murray, Thomson
Subs: Benfield, Zubar, Wakefield, Brooks, McQuoid, Burns, Hoey, Ngalo
Exeter City: Maxted, Sweeney, Dyer, Parkes, Sparkes, Iseguan, Kite, Law, Seymour, Ajose, Fisher
Subs: Lee, Smerdon, Wilson, Morison, Diabate