Exeter 1-1 Charlton

Kyel Reid came off the bench to equalise 12 minutes after George Friend opened the scoring for the hosts in an exciting second half which contrasted a wary opening 45.

But although both sides hit the woodwork and both keepers were forced to work in inspired fashion at times, neither side could get the three points they desperately needed at this stage of the season for entirely different reasons.

Although the Addicks had the better of the early half-chances, City created the first serious threat on goal after Barry Corr’s low effort from the edge of the area forced a parry from Darren Randolph.

Minutes later Frazer Richardson’s corner was dropped by Exeter keeper Paul Jones, allowing Deon Burton to head onto the bar.

On the half hour mark Friend skipped past a pair of Charlton shirts and whipped in a cross which Christian Dailly failed to deal with and took a high risk challenge from Sam Sodje to clear from danger.

As the interval drew near, the visitors began to overcome a period of Exeter pressure and a Gary Borrowdale long pass found Burton drifting out wide inside the box, though his centre didn’t quite fall for Nicky Forster under heavy pressure.

The Addicks began the second half brightly, and Nicky Bailey’s headed flick-on sent Forster clean through, only for the flag to go up immediately.

And a few moments later Dailly launched a rare bursting run down the centre of the pitch before finding Bailey free out on the left, whose cross was cleverely nodded on by Racon, only for Forster to blast over from close range.

City continued to look for the lead themselves, sending a few well-worked efforts off target before the impressive Friend forced another good stop from Randolph towards an hour played.

And as the hour mark struck, it was Friend who scored the opening goal from Ryan Harley’s cross at point blank range.

If anything, it was the home side who looked more likely to score again, though a number of efforts – including a spectacular attempt from Liam Sercombe – all went straight to Randolph.

Halfway through the second period, Charlton again hit the woodwork, this time sub Miguel Llera curling a 20-yard free kick onto the outside of the post.

But the visitors got their equaliser shortly afterwards, as Forster’s cross bounced off legs in the box and fell to another replacement in Reid.

His shot appeared to be cleared off the line by Sercombe but the effort was ruled by the linesman to have gone in first.

With little over 10 minutes remaining the Grecians almost reclaimed the lead when Harley’s volley from a Friend cross was tipped onto the post by Randolph before a crucial intervention from Dailly thwarted Richard Logan on the rebound.

However, the stalemate ended with a handful of close calls at the other end as Charlton desperately sought the goal to keep their automatic promotion chances alive.

First, a neat flick-on from Burton sent Forster galloping away from his man only for Jones to somehow deny the veteran forward with his legs.

From the resulting corner, two headed efforts from Dailly were blocked before Forster’s own nod towards goal was cleared off the line by Harley – a block which the Addicks and their supporters behind the goal were adamant involved use of the hand.

Unfortunately, no penalty was forthcoming and the game ended all square.

A fair result on the day, but one which does neither side any favours in their respective scraps at either end of the League One table.

Charlton: Randolph, Richardson, S.Sodje (Llera 64), Dailly, Borrowdale, Sam (Wagstaff 79), Semedo, Racon (Reid 62), Bailey, Burton, Forster. Subs not used: Elliot, Solly, Spring, Mooney. Att: 6,835