ST JAMES’ Park has been a rotten hunting ground for Swindon Town since the turn of the millennium – but a point was salvaged at the death against Exeter City this afternoon.

Fresh from signing on loan the day before, striker Eoin Doyle made a name for himself when flicking on Zeki Fryers’ cross from the byline to snatch an 87th minute equaliser – rescuing a point and maintaining Town’s unbeaten league record.

Initially, there were echoes of Tuesday night’s disappointing Carabao Cup loss at Colchester in Town’s performance.

Wasted opportunities in the first half came back to haunt Richie Wellens’ side as impact substitute Matt Jay struck in the 71st minute.

But Doyle’s late strike sparked over one thousand Town fans into life, with the game ending 1-1.

Unsurprisngly, Wellens made one enforced change from last Saturday’s side that defeated Carlisle.

Suspended Jerry Yates was replaced by new recruit Eoin Doyle while the rest of the side was unchanged.

Two minutes hadn’t passed before Town had their first sight on goal.

Lloyd Isgrove benefitted from Town debutant Doyle’s smart flick on midway through the hosts’ half before the winger made a dashing run into the penalty area.

Grecians ‘keeper Lewis Ward came out to collect the ball, resulting in the pair colliding.

Visiting fans’ cries for a penalty were understandably shunned by referee Chris Sarginson, who awarded a corner that was cleared.

Keshi Anderson then missed a golden opportunity to hand Town the lead.

Following smart build-up play on the left wing by Woolery and Fryers, Doyle’s effort on the edge of the six-yard box was blocked – with the ball falling fortuitously to Anderson’s feet.

The 24-year-old’s strike somehow evaded Ward’s goal – taking a wicked deflection that dribbled wide of the home ‘keeper’s right post.

City ‘keeper Ward again had an external source to thank with 20 minutes played. A devastating counterattack that caught Exeter off guard led to Doyle shooting from 20 yards after Isgrove’s darting run from the half-way line.

Doyle’s right-footed shot pinged off Ward’s left post – granting the hosts another lifeline.

Doyle again missed out on opening his Town account on the half-hour mark, but this time through his own wrongdoing.

A nodded down ball from Woolery picked out the former Bradford man 12 yards out. But his powerful drive was hit high and wide.

Sandwiched between those two efforts was home skipper Taylor’s deflected strike on the edge of Town’s penalty area, which undoubtedly had travelling fans concerned for a moment.

Exeter’s attempts to pierce Town’s dogged back four were unsuccessful in the concluding 15 minutes of the half.

Amid Randell Williams’ efforts to break to the right-wing byline Baudry picked up a soft yellow card as the half ended goalless.

No changes were made by either manager at half-time, and so Town’s dominance on the game continued.

A nervous clearance by Grecians’ Martin forced the first of three corners at the start of the half.

Doughty’s effort from the edge of City’s penalty proceeded the first, before additional corners resulted in blocked shots for Woolery and Anderson.

The former then ended Town’s five-minute period of dominance by heading Isgrove’s cross wide.

City boss Taylor made two substitutions in quick time – ex-Town forward Ajose exited the pitch for Martin while captain Taylor made way for Jay.

With the hour mark passed, City almost took the lead amid a lull in openings for Town at the other end of the pitch.

Randell Williams’ cross from the right took a wicked deflection off Fryers, and bounced off the top of McCormick’s crossbar.

The hosts used momentum established from that chance to open the scoring – and it was Taylor’s two substitutes that combined to break the game’s deadlock.

Lee Martin’s shot from the edge of the penalty area was flicked into the roof of McCormick’s net by a well-placed Matt Jay who wheeled away in celebration.

Jay would’ve doubled his goal tally four minutes later had it not been for the ill-placed Dean Moxey.

The 23-year-old striker latched onto a cleared corner and leathered a powerful shot into his teammate that was destined for the bottom corner before taking an timely deflection, from Town’s point of view.

Eoin Doyle then had a goal disallowed after Ward’s clearance struck the back of Town’s new frontman and dribbled into the net.

Sarginson pulled play back, though, for a foul committed by Woolery in the build-up to the disallowed goal.

Excluding Doyle’s disallowed goal, Town’s search for their opener stalled – prompting Wellens to bring on Twine and May in place of Isgrove and Anderson.

It’s up for debate if the changes had any impact on Town’s equaliser, but – nonetheless – Town found themselves level with minutes remaining.

A cross from the left delivered by Fryers was flicked on by Doyle – beating Ward’s far-post reach.

The goal sparked Town into life in the game’s later stages. But hopes of snatching an even later winner couldn’t be realised.

A point away at Exeter certainly won’t be snubbed, though. Exeter City: Lewis Ward, Pierce Sweeney, Craig Woodman, Aaron Martin, Nicky Law, Randell Williams, Ryan Bowman, Nicky Ajose (Lee Martin, 57’), Dean Moxey, Jake Taylor (Matt, Jay, 53’), Archie Collins.

Swindon Town: Luke McCormick, Zeki Fryers, Mathieu Baudry, Lloyd Isgrove (Scott Twine, 81’), Michael Doughty, Kaiyne Woolery, Jordan Lyden, Rob Hunt, Dion Conroy, Eion Doyle, Keshi Anderson (Adam May, 81’).