Sonny saves crucial point for Exeter City

When this lopsided season reaches its conclusion for Exeter City, a late leveller from Sonny Cox in a tight relegation crap with Northampton might just provide the point needed for survival.

The Grecians were excellent in the early part of the campaign and enjoyed a stellar run in the FA Cup, but the form since Christmas has been beyond bleak, just the one victory coming at bottom club Cambridge United.

It has been a rotten run that has seen City plummet down the Sky Bet League One table and with visiting Northampton starting the day just a point above them, Exeter badly needed their luck to turn.

In that context, it was hardly surprising the first period was largely devoid of action. The game was a dirge, spluttering to a blank scoreline at the interval until a shot from Tariqe Fosu was blocked into the path of Dara Costelloe to give the Cobblers a slender lead.

Angus MacDonald almost replied instantly with a stinging drive that brought a top save from Lee Burge, and Ben Purrington possibly should have done better than firing wide when the ball fell to him for a second chance.

City failed to build on that impetus in a sluggish second half and the clock was only three minutes away from the full 90 when Cox popped up for a close-range equaliser to bring a huge sigh of relief across St James Park.

Next up is a trip to Reading on Tuesday night.