League Two: Exeter City 2 Leyton Orient 2
Sam Ling of Leyton Orient on the ball at The Breyer Group Stadium (Pic: George Phillipou/TGS Photo) - Credit: George Phillipou/TGS Photo
Orient had to settle for a point against the League Two leaders after conceding an injury-time penalty on Saturday.
The O's looked set for a memorable win against the unbeaten Grecians, as goals either side of the break from Lee Angol and Louis Dennis cancelled out the home side's opener.
But they were left with only a share of the spoils as the hosts struck from the spot late on.
Head coach Ross Embleton made four changes to the starting line-up with Dan Happe and James Brophy missing out through injury.
Loanee George Marsh made his first start for the O's while Dale Gorman, Dennis and Jordan Maguire-Drew all came into the team with Craig Clay and Conor Wilkinson dropping to the bench.
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The first chance of the match fell to the Grecians Randell Williams in the fourth minute as he skipped into the box and fired at goal but Dean Brill was more than equal to the attempt before Marsh cleared any danger.
Three minutes later right-back Sam Ling's cross was cleared behind for a corner.
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And attacker Maguire-Drew almost picked out captain Josh Coulson before it broke to Dennis who fired wide.
In the 23rd minute Brill spread himself to deny Ryan Bowman who beat the offside trap and fired at goal from five yards.
And an excellent sliding challenge from Marsh denied Taylor a run through on goal after a through ball into the box in the 30th minute.
A minute later Exeter thought had they grabbed the lead when Nicky Law slammed his shot home from close range, but it was wiped out due to a handball in the build-up.
They did eventually get the lead as Pierce Sweeney found the back of the net with five minutes left in the first half.
But the lead didn't last long as former Shrewsbury Town forward Angol levelled four minutes later when Gorman's shot fell to him.
And O's took the lead eight minutes after the restart as Dennis cut inside onto his left foot and fired homme from yards.
Good defending by Joe Widdowson denied the home side on a couple of occasions, while Gorman's searching cross was just over the head of Maguire-Drew on 68 minutes.
And after Gorman and Dennis made way for Clay and Wilkinson, respectively, Orient saw Marvin Ekpiteta and Brill deny the hosts before James Alabi was sent on for Maguire-Drew for the last six minutes.
Ryan Bowman headed over from Pierce Sweeney's cross, then saw Brill save another effort before the O's keeper produced a point-blank block from a last-minute throw-in.
But the hosts were awarded a penalty in the third of seven minutes of injury time and Nicky Law converted from the spot.
Exeter City: Ward, Sweeney, Martin, L.Martin, Law, Williams, Bowman, Moxey, Sparkes, Taylor, Collins.
Unused subs: Maxted, Woodman, Parkes, Jay, Fisher, Richardson, Seymour.
Leyton Orient: Brill, Ling, Coulson, Ekpiteta, Widdowson, Gorman (Clay 71), Marsh, Wright, Dennis (Wilkinson 75), Maguire-Drew (Alabi 84), Angol.
Unused subs: Sargeant, Judd, Ogie, Harrold.
Attendance: 4,933 (including 438 Orient fans).
